A 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) push-and-pass point guard, Blaylock was rated among the best defensive stoppers in the game. The former Garland High School, Midland College (where he earned NJCAA All American honors in 1987[1]), and University of Oklahoma star is most highly regarded for his quick hands and a ball hawking defensive style that produced more than 200 steals in a season five times and two NBA All-Defensive first-team selections. He was also a capable outside shooter, a fine passer who generally ranked among the league's assist leaders, and a durable instigator of the fast break. In 1988, he helped to lead the Sooners to the NCAAtitle game.
As fans of the basketball player, the band members of Pearl Jam originally named their group "Mookie Blaylock", but they were forced to change the name. They settled on naming their debut album Ten after Blaylock's jersey number.[2][3][4]
In the Homestar Runner cartoon "Kick-A-Ball", the Umpire tells the Announcer that Mookie Blaylock gave him the ball featured in the cartoon, a reference to a similar scene in an earlier cartoon about Mookie Wilson.
During the afternoon of May 31, 2013, Blaylock was involved in a head-on collision in Clayton County, Georgia. He was initially placed on life support,[9] but his condition later improved.[8] Blaylock's vehicle traveled left-of-center, causing the accident. A family member stated he had a history of seizures, and although it was unknown if Blaylock was experiencing any symptoms at the time of the collision,[8] he was under doctor's orders to not drive due to the seizures.[10] Blaylock had a history of alcohol abuse, and it was determined he suffered a seizure due to alcohol withdrawal.[10] Although initially surviving the crash, a passenger in the other vehicle, Monica Murphy, a mother of five, died as a result of injuries from the collision.[8][9] Blaylock was charged with vehicular homicide,[11] driving on a suspended license and failing to stay in his lane.[12] Blaylock had an outstanding warrant in Spalding County, Georgia on charges of DUI and drug-related offenses at the time, but "investigators did not believe alcohol was a factor in the crash."[8] However, Blaylock had a history of DUIs, at least seven of them.[10]
On October 27, 2014, Blaylock pleaded guilty to killing Murphy. Facing seven to 10 years at trial,[10] Blaylock accepted a plea bargain.[13] According to the plea, Blaylock served three years in prison and the fourth as a suspended sentence, followed by eight years of probation.[14]
