How did Simone Edwards die? Cause of death explored as former WNBA champion dies at 49

Tragic news just emerged that former WNBA champion Simone Edwards has died. The longtime Seattle Storm center lost her battle with ovarian cancer at the age of 49. She was initially diagnosed in 2021.

Simone Edwards entered the WNBA in 2000 and played six seasons with the Seattle Storm. She appeared in 178 games and ended her career with averages of 5.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. During the 2004 season, she helped lead the Storm to their first WNBA title.

Edwards was born in Kingston, Jamaica, but played her college ball at Iowa. Because of her roots, she was nicknamed the "Jamaican Hurricane" during her time with the Storm.

Edwards' basketball journey began in her home country, where she was discovered by an American coach. From there, she played for a junior college in Oklahoma before transferring to Iowa.

During her time in the WNBA, Edwards etched her name in the history books. She was the first Jamaican woman to ever find herself on a roster.

Following the news of her death, former Storm coach Lin Dunn opened up on what a special person Edwards was on and off the court.

"Simone was a gift to everyone ... full of joy and energy," Dunn told ESPN. "She played the top of our shadow press, and I always told her she was my favorite shadow ever. I can still see that smile."

The Seattle Storm took to social media to put out a heartfelt message following the tragic news.

What did Simone Edwards do after retiring from the WNBA?

At the age of 32, Simone Edwards retired from the WNBA before the 2006 season. Like most athletes, she opted to play overseas after her playing days in the States were over.

Along with playing overseas, Edwards also went back to her home country to help develop the game of basketball there. She helped build youth programs in Jamaica along with being a coach for the Jamaican national team.

When she wasn't helping grow the game of basketball in Jamacia, Edwards eventually brought her talents back to the United States. She went back to the collegeiate level and was an assistant coach at Radford and George Mason.