“May We All Strive to Be Tasha Butts”: Losing the Battle to Breast Cancer at Age 41, Angel Reese, Tamika Catchings and Others Mourn the Loss of Women’s Basketball Icon

When she arrived in Georgetown this past spring, Tasha Butts became a beloved coach whose influence transcended the court. But then came the dreadful news fearing to confine her to an infirmary. But the braveheart basketball legend fought back and became a cancer crusader. The battle continued two years before the fateful news stuck the basketball community.

Tasha Butts passed away this Monday. She was 41. As one of the most respected and loved coaches of all time, Tasha’s life took an unexpected turn in 2021 when she received the news of being diagnosed with advanced-stage breast cancer. Despite unsettled by the deadly diagnosis, Coach Butts didn’t drop her chips. She started to spread awareness and raise money for women who can’t afford the treatment with the Tasha Tough campaign. Two years later, as the news of her passing spread, many players, coaches, and well-known figures took to social media to pay their heartfelt tribute.

‘Truly heartbroken’: Basketball World mourns Beloved Coach’s demise 

Many star basketball players and coaches took to their social media handles and flooded their comment sections with tributes for the fallen coach. The collective commemoration only made masses mournful.

Tamika Catchings, deeply affected by the loss of Coach Tasha Butts, took to X to express her grief.

The LSU star, Angel Reese, paid her tribute to the coach’s death on her Instagram story. Dawn Stanley expressed her being in grief and heartbroken through a post on X.

Kim Mulkey, known for her significant contributions to women’s basketball, paid tribute to Coach Tasha Butts with a heartfelt message. 

Even after passing away, many said, Tasha’s legacy will continue to live on, guiding and inspiring the lives of many athletes, coaches, and fans. 

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Amid mourning, many deliberated on the life and times of the legendary coach whose midas touch made many careers.

Tasha Butts – An Iconic coach and competitor

Coach Tasha Butts had an impressive career as a coach, but before she got into the coaching career, she was an impressive player too. In 2000, while playing for Baldwin High School, she was named the State Girls’ basketball player of the year. Afterward, she played college basketball for the Tennessee Volunteers women’s basketball team.

 In 2004, because of her impressive talent and prowess, she was selected by the Minnesota Lynx as the 20th overall pick in the WNBA. Although her time in the WNBA was short-lived, she transitioned into making a career as a coach.

Over the years, Tasha held coaching roles at various NCAA schools, including Duquesne University, and the University of California, and even an assistant coach at LSU. 

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In April 2023, she was appointed as the head coach of the Georgetown Hoyas women’s basketball team, but before her first game as a head coach, she passed away!