The younger sister of Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas was killed in a car accident early Saturday morning, according to reports emerging from the state of Washington.
Chyna Thomas, 22, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash after her Toyota Camry drifted onto the shoulder and eventually off the roadway. Thomas' car eventually collided with a barrier and came to rest against a metal pole.
Washington State Patrol has speculated—but have not confirmed—that Thomas may have fallen asleep at the wheel. She was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, and state trooper Nick King said Thomas is not believed to have been impaired.
A member of the 2017 NBA All-Star team, Isaiah Thomas is set to play in Game 1 of Boston's first-round series against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon. An outpouring of support for the Thomas family came in from players, fans, and people around the NBA when the news began to circulate:
The Celtics released the following statement on Chyna Thomas' passing via the team's official Twitter account:
NBA commissioner Adam Silver also released a statement on behalf of the league on Saturday evening:
This story is developing.
Send all complaints, compliments, and tips to sportstips@complex.com.
