Former NBA Player Rasual Butler, Wife Killed In High-Speed Car Crash

Ex-NBA player Rasual Butler and his wife died Wednesday in a solo-vehicle crash in California, according to reports. He was 38.

Butler and his wife, Leah LaBelle, were pronounced dead at the scene at 2:35 a.m. Their Range Rover SUV was traveling on Ventura Boulevard when it skidded out of control, collided with several parking meters and a wall before it landed in a strip mall parking lot, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County coroner's department told the Sun-Sentinel. An autopsy report was pending.

The Los Angeles Clippers, Butler’s former team, released a statement regarding the incident.

"The L.A. Clippers are deeply saddened by the loss of Rasual Butler and his wife, Leah LaBelle," the statement read, according to KTLA, a Fox affiliate in California. "Rasual will long be remembered not only for his accomplishments on the court, but for his vibrant personality, positive outlook and the compassion he had for everyone around him."

Butler, a journeyman, played for several NBA teams including the Washington Wizards, New Orleans Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors. The Miami Heat drafted Butler in 2002, where he appeared in several games during the 2005 Eastern Conference Finals. The Milwaukee Bucks released him Oct. 22, 2016.

Dwyane Wade, Butler’s former Heat teammate, honored him in a post on Instagram.

"This was my first public appearance and I was nervous to go along —so 'Sual joined to make it easier on me," Wade captioned a photo of the two. "That's who he was —a great individual that was always there for people when they needed him. Today is a sad day.