Former NBA All-Star guard Mookie Blaylock has been upgraded to serious condition a day after his SUV crashed head-on into a van and killed a woman, according to ESPN. Blaylock was originally in critical condition on Friday night.
Atlanta Medical Center spokeswoman Nicole Gustin said Saturday that the 46-year-old former point guard had been upgraded to serious condition. On Friday, the hospital listed Blaylock in critical condition, and police said the former Atlanta Hawks player had been placed on life support for a short time.
Jonesboro Police Chief Franklin Allen said Blaylock was driving Friday afternoon in the Atlanta suburb of Jonesboro when his SUV crossed the center line and crashed head-on into a van with two people inside.
The van's passenger, 43-year-old Monica Murphy, was killed. Her husband broke an ankle.
Blaylock spent 13 seasons in the NBA after being drafted No. 12 in the first round by the New Jersey Nets in the 1989 NBA Draft. He spent his longest tenure with the Atlanta Hawks from 1992-1999 before finishing his career with the Golden State Warriors from 1999-2002.
Blaylock enjoyed an all-star season in 1994. His accomplishments include two NBA All-Defensive first team nominations, four NBA All-Defensive second team nominations and two seasons as the NBA steals leader.
Blaylock led the NBA in steals two years in a row (1996-97, 1997-98), joining Alvin Robertson, Magic Johnson, Allen Iverson and Chris Paul as the only players to pull off that feat. He led the NBA in three-point attempts and finished second in three-pointers made in the 1996-97 season and is the Atlanta Hawks' all-time franchise leader in three-point field goals made (1,050), three-point goal attempts (4,023) and steals (1,321)
Blaylock has also played a major inspiration for the rock band Pearl Jam. Fans of the player, the band members originally named their group "Mookie Blaylock", but they were forced to change it. They settled on naming their debut album Ten after Blaylock's jersey number.
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