Retired NBA player Rasual Butler and his wife, R&B singer and former American Idol contestant Leah LaBelle, lost their lives in a single car crash on Wednesday morning. Butler was 38, while LaBelle was 31.
According to TMZ, the crash happened around 2 a.m. in Studio City, CA on Wednesday morning. The pair were in a car that was believed to be speeding before the accident occurred. Butler was reportedly driving, hit a parking meter before hitting a wall, and the car flipped.
Butler was among the NBA’s more well-traveled players during his 14-year career. After being drafted by the Miami Heat in the second round of the 2002 NBA Draft out of La Salle, Butler spent time in Miami, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Indiana, Washington, and San Antonio during his time in the league. He also suited up for the Tulsa 66ers of the then-D-League and had a preseason deal with Minnesota in 2016 prior to his retirement.
Over his NBA career, Butler carved out a role as a solid shooter off the bench, connecting on 36.2 percent of his career attempts from downtown. In all, Butler averaged 7.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.
Most recently, Butler played in BIG3 as a member of Ball Hogs, where he averaged 11.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
