Pokémon TCG ‘community pillar’ JustInBasil has died aged 36

Jason Kingsford, better known to the Pokémon community as JustInBasil, has died at the age of 36.

According to PokeBeach, Kingsford passed away on July 25. No cause of death was shared.

Kingsford was “a devoted brother, a passionate high school English teacher, and a proud member of the Pokémon community,” according to his family.

His Pokémon Trading Card Game website, JustInBasil, was launched in 2019. The site is well known for its extensive coverage of the Pokémon TCG, including the latest news and cards from Japan. The site also features a well-loved deck-building tool, as well as information about upcoming changes to the competitive side of the card game.

Kingsford’s sister Virginia took to the PokémonTCG subreddit to express her gratitude to the community for the outpouring of support following Jason’s passing. “When someone in the chat mentioned donating to help, we honestly didn’t expect much,” she said. “We hoped for anything, but kept our expectations low.

“What we received instead was overwhelming love, generosity, and the most beautiful stories about who Jason was to this community. We always knew he was passionate about Pokémon, but we didn’t realize just how deeply he was respected, admired, and cared for here.

“Thank you – truly – for your kindness, your words, and your support. It has brought real comfort to our family during one of the hardest moments of our lives.”

A GoFundMe set up in Jason’s memory has already passed its goal of $16,000.

Popular Pokémon YouTuber Leonhart, who made a donation to the page, wrote: “Jason was an incredible member of the community and he will be greatly missed. His contribution was immense, but his stamp on the world with his caring personality was even better.”