Sister and cousin of Hornets' player die in I-75 crash

The New Orleans Hornets confirmed this afternoon that the sister and cousin of team member and former Detroit Mercy player Willie Green Jr. were killed in a car crash early this morning on southbound Interstate 75 near Adams Road.

Tamara Lynette Green, 30, and Gary Benjamin Green, 27, died about 12:40 a.m. when the 2008 GMC Envoy they were riding in went off the road, hit several trees and rolled over.
Both had earlier attended a game at The Palace of Auburn Hills, where the Pistons defeated the Hornets 111-108 in overtime.

According to police, Tamara and Ben Green went to a restaurant after the game before heading home. Tamara Green was found inside the Envoy while Ben Green — who had been ejected from the vehicle — was found about 100 feet away.

Ben Green played for the University of Detroit Mercy from 2002-06.

Willie Green Jr. — who was a standout player for Detroit Cooley High School and Detroit Mercy — played 20 minutes in Sunday's game and scored 11 points.

Green played for Detroit Mercy from 2000-03 and scored 1,779 points, then fourth in school history, according to the university's athletics web site. He played the first seven seasons of his NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers.

According to reports, Green was in Indiana for a game tonight against the Pacers when he was told of his sister's death.

A spokesperson for the Hornets said the team would have a statement later this afternoon.