By Matt Moore 

Rajon Rondo held a charity basketball game on Saturday night, the first time he and Kendrick Perkins had shared a floor since Perkins' trade. Then that night, they went out to have a good time. But the night ended with someone taking a swing at Rondo. From the Lowell Sun:

Officers working details and patrolmen assigned downtown were already at Brian's Ivy Hall, 74 Merrimack St., yesterday about 1:45 a.m., as a packed event featuring Rondo began to empty out.

Officer Michael Kandrotas noticed a scuffle, and learned that someone "took a fighting stance and threw a punch" at the Celtics all-star and his entourage, which included fellow NBA players Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks, former Celtic Nate Robinson and Rudy Gay of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Police and Kevin Hayhurst, co-owner of Brian's Ivy Hall, said members of Rondo's entourage wrestled Valarezo to the ground.

A police report indicates Valarezo continued to resist when officers arrived, but was soon arrested and led from the building.

Hayhurst was unsure what prompted the scuffle. But he said Rondo was "unpersonable" and "disrespectful toward patrons."

via Man arrested after scuffle with C's star - Lowell Sun Online.

Rondo? Unpersonable? Surely you jest! He's such a happy-go-lucky guy! He's like a rainbow of marshmallows whenever you see him! It couldn't have been him that unpersonable. 

Maybe the best part about this story is that the man who was charged with misdemeanor assault for the thrown punch said he didn't even know who Rondo was, that he's "not an NBA fan." So some random dude just threw a punch at some guy he felt disrespected him, and it turned out to be Rajon Rondo. 

Small world. 

Also, speaking of small, please tell me it was Nate Robinson that wrestled him to the ground. Please, please, please. 

Luckily no one was seriously injured in the incident.

(HT: SI.com)

By Matt Moore

From the Detroit News:

Detroit Pistons star Ben Wallace pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges Tuesday morning stemming from a Sept. 24 drunken driving arrest.

Wallace, 37, faces a Dec. 13 sentencing in Oakland Circuit Court on one count each of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and possessing a firearm while operating a vehicle while intoxicating. Both charges carry a maximum sentence of 93 days in jail.

It was revealed in court Tuesday that the Detroit Piston's blood alcohol level was .14, nearly double the .08 considered intoxicated under Michigan law.

via Detroit Pistons - NBA | Ben Wallace pleads guilty to misdemeanors in drunken driving arrest | The Detroit News.

As we discussed at the time of his arrest, Wallace, head been pursuing a dream of becoming a lawyer. And then got hit by this. It continuously amazes fans and media how you can get popped for DUI. You have unlimited resources in pursuit of a ride home. Limo. Taxi. Friends. Other ballplayers. Personal pedi-cycle. But then, so do most people, and that doesn't keep the DUI rates in this country from dropping. 

It's unlikely Wallace will be sentenced the maximum sentence. Prosecutors already dropped a charge on carrying a concealed weapon. The gun Wallace was carrying in a backpack was registered to his wife. 


 

By Matt Moore

There is nothing unusual about this story. It's your basic "former NBA player arrested for (offense)" tale. This time it's Isiah Rider, formerly J.R. Rider, who TMZ reports is behind bars for violating his parole. 

Former NBA 1st round draft pick Isaiah "J.R." Rider was arrested in Arizona this week for violating his probation ... TMZ has learned.

Rider -- who played in the NBA from 1993 to 2001 -- is currently behind bars in Maricopa County on a no-bail hold.  It's unclear why police believe Rider violated his probation.

Rider's probation stems from a 2010 incident -- where he fled from police after they tried to pull him over for driving erratically. He pled guilty to unlawful flight from a law enforcement vehicle.

via Former NBA Star Isaiah Rider -- Arrested in Arizona | TMZ.com.

While we hope Rider is able to get his life back on track, the real reason we're posting this is an excuse to embed this.

 

By Matt Moore

The Detroit Free Press reports that Pistons forward Ben Wallace was arrested Saturday for drunk driving and possession of a concealed weapon, according to a police press release. 

Detroit Piston Ben Wallace is facing a 5-year felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon after police found an unloaded pistol in a backpack in his car as they arrested him on suspicion of drunken driving Saturday in Bloomfield Township.

When officers searched his car, they discovered an unloaded pistol in a backpack in the “passenger compartment” of the vehicle, according to a news release issued by the police department today.

Wallace, 37, is expected to appear Oct. 3 for a pre-examination conference in 48th District Court in Bloomfield Township, according to police. He has been arraigned on a 93-day misdemeanor charge of drunken driving and a 5-year felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon, police said, without specifying what day he appeared in court.

via Detroit Piston Ben Wallace faces drunken driving, weapons charges | Detroit Free Press | freep.com.

It's surprising this took five days to come out. It's also surprising because in July, Wallace gave an interview to the Detroit News about his goal of becoming a lawyer. Apparently that was because he wanted to be able to represent himself. 

Drunk driving is a serious enough charge legally on its own, but possession of a concealed weapon while drunk driving is a compound offense of recklessness.  The Detroit News reports that the weapon was unarmed and concealed in a backpack.  Wallace is owed over $2.2 million by the Pistons next year in the last year of his contract. He was expected to retire at the end of the season. The report states that Wallace was over the legal limit of .08% BAC, but did not specify his exact reading.

By Matt Moore

The AP reports that Javaris Crittenton has been arrested at John Wayne International Airport in L.A. by FBI agents after checking in for a flight to Atlanta. Crittenton was wanted through the weekend following an arrest warrant issued by Atlanta police in connection with the murder of a mother of four on August 19th. Crittenton's attorney said Monday that his client is innocent and would be taking the flight. 

An FBI spokesperson said Crittenton was arrested without incident. The arrest brings an end to concern for Crittenton's status after not being heard from since the announce of the arrest warrant. 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Monday that the long-time boyfriend of the victim in the shooting planned to propose to her that night, and that her four children could hear the shots from inside the house. Crittenton is expected to be charged with the firing of shots from a black SUV in a drive-by armed assault aimed at two unarmed men in the same area. The victim, Jullian Jones, is not thought by police to be the target of the shooting. The targeted men fled the scene, unharmed. On Friday, Crittenton booked a one-way flight to Los Angeles, according to multiple media outlets. 

We'll update this post as the story develops.

By Matt Moore

Javaris Crittenton, a former NBA player best known for being suspended by the league for bringing a gun into the Washington Wizards' locker room, has been charged with murder in the shooting of a woman in Atlanta.

From WSBTV in Atlanta: 

An arrest warrant has been issued for former NBA player and Georgia Tech star Javaris Crittenton in connection with the shooting death of a mother of four, Atlanta police said.

The shooting happened Aug. 19 shortly before 10 p.m. in the 2900 block of Macon Drive in southwest Atlanta.

Investigators said 22-year-old Jullian Jones was walking with others when someone from a dark SUV opened fire. Jones was struck and later died.

via Former NBA player, Ga. Tech star wanted in killing - News Story - WSB Atlanta. 

The report also states that the targets were two unarmed men in the company of the victim and the shooting is believed to be in retaliation for a robbery of Crittenton in April.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the FBI is involved in the investigation, and that Crittenton is not in custody, as he's currently in L.A. The two men believed to be the target were unharmed and fled the scene. The AJC reports that several people witnessed the shooting.

NBA LEGAL TROUBLE

Berger: Players behaving badly Dealer alleges beating at Randolph's home Police: Walker eats marijuana Police: Miles brings gun to airport King arrested at church Perkins arrested for club fight Sprewell's tax debt Vincent fraud case Alston strip club brawl Barnes punches opponent Beasley shoves fan's face

An athletic guard with handle, Crittenton was drafted by the Lakers, and was then traded to the Grizzlies in the Pau Gasol deal, then later dealt to the Wizards. He infamously became entrenched in the bet that wound up with Gilbert Arenas bringing out his guns in the locker room, with Crittenton making similar threats. He was signed briefly with the Bobcats before the 2010-2011 season but was waived prior the season and finished the year with the D-League. 

More from the Associated Press report: 

Jones, a mother of four, was walking with a group of people on the city's southwest side when she was shot by someone inside a dark-colored SUV, police said.

Investigators say they don't believe the woman was the intended target. Campos said the motive appears to be retaliation for a robbery in April, in which Crittenton was a victim.

Crittenton was suspended for the final 38 games of the 2009-10 season by the NBA after he and Arenas acknowledged bringing guns into the locker room. Two days after a dispute stemming from a card game on a team flight, Arenas brought four guns to the locker room and set them in front of Crittenton's locker with a sign telling him to "PICK 1." Crittenton then took out his own gun.

Crittenton pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge on Jan. 25, 2010, and received probation.

After the Wizards declined to re-sign him, he signed a non-guaranteed contract with Charlotte before last season. The Bobcats waived him Oct. 15, and he then played five games in China for the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, averaging 25.8 points. He also played 20 games for the NBDL's Dakota Wizards, averaging 14.3 points.

Crittenton was drafted 19th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2007. He played little with Los Angeles and was traded to Memphis in his rookie year, then to Washington in December 2008.

Crittenton averaged 5.3 points and 1.8 assists in 113 NBA games.

Charges dropped against Heat forward for marijuna charges after traffic stop this summer.
Posted by Matt Moore

You have to wonder if this is going to become a recurring theme for the Heat. Trouble faced, challenge overcome, walk away clean. Or maybe this is just your normal story about a player having charges dropped over a minor violation. Regardless, Udonis Haslem's lawyer told the Miami Sun-Sentinel's Ira Winderman that all charges against him from the August arrest for marijuana possession have been dropped . His laywer informed the paper that Haslem's prints were not found on the container in his passenger's luggage which contained the marijuana in question. Haslem has not had previous trouble on account of marijuana. Winderman reports it's unclear whether he will still be forced to attend the NBA's substance abuse counseling sessions, given, you know, he didn't do anything.

It's a welcome development for the Heat, to get the charges cleared and taken care of in advance of training camp. There's going to be enough distractions this year, and Haslem will play an important part in the Heat's defense and rebounding efforts this year. Not having him distracted will likely serve them well.

Haslem's passenger Antwain Fleming does still face the charges for his less than 20 grams of marijuana. In Miami. Yeesh. This is like stopping in the middle of the Titanic's sinking and being upset because someone spilled their water on the carpet.

Larry Bird issues sternly worded statement after more details of rookie's arrest come to light.
Posted by Matt Moore

It's important not to leap to conclusions when an athlete finds himself in legal trouble. Situations are rarely as simple as they appear, and were it to be a friend of yours, you'd want the public to extend some level of restraint in criticism and discretion. Unfortunately, the more we learn after the arrest of Lance Stephenson, the harder it is to avoid casting a harsh eye. Regardless, the Pacers aren't necessarily taking that approach. Nor are they taking a position comparable to other teams' "We support (player X) and will stand by him through this time." Instead, they are aggressively discussing punishment, particularly with reports developing that Stephenson not only threw the mother of his child down a flight of steps, but then slammed her head into the bottom step .

It's disturbing behavior for any team to face with a draft pick, but for Indiana, committed to rebuilding its team's character in the eyes of fans who saw the mid-00's team devolve into off-court turmoil (and, you know, the whole Malice in the Palace thing), it's something that will elicit the kind of response Larry Bird issued today. From Pacers.com:

"The news of Lance Stephenson’s arrest is very disappointing to the Pacers franchise and to me personally. We have worked very hard to bring in players that are excellent representatives of our franchise, community and state both on and off the court. Our commitment to this goal is too strong to permit the actions of one individual to reverse all of the positive strides that have been made as a franchise over the last couple of years or to hurt the image of the rest of the players on our team. Everyone in the Pacers organization remains strongly committed to our players representing Indianapolis and the state of Indiana in a positive way and will not condone behavior that reflects poorly on this franchise and community.

"We are continuing to gather all of the facts regarding Lance’s arrest but regardless of the outcome of the investigation, Lance should not have put himself in the position he was in early Sunday morning. We have consistently emphasized to our players the importance of not putting themselves in situations where bad things can happen. Once all the facts are known we will deal appropriately with Lance so that he, the team and the entire Pacers community understands that this message cannot be ignored."

Those are not the words of a franchise looking to brush past the assault charges. Those are the words of a franchise that sounds ready to cut bait on a second-round pick that had such a promising Summer League. After coming out and playing lights out this summer, Stephenson has wasted every ounce of good will he's managed to earn despite his rocky character profile.

It's frustrating. It's frustrating for the Pacers, working to move past their failures in character judgment. It's frustrating for Stephenson's fans, hoping he could capitalize on his tremendous skill if he could just grow up, just a little. To have that much God-given talent, to have worked so hard to put yourself in a position to show all the doubters wrong, and then to justify every negative thing that was said about you, how depressing is that? It's possible Stephenson's completely innocent. Our system will treat him as such, and if exonerated, I'll certainly be the first to acknowledge the mistake of presuming guilt. But it doesn't look good, and as Bird said, Stephenson put himself in a bad situation, one he shouldn't be in.

There's not a tremendous amount of leeway a second round pick gets. Stephenson's short amount of credit may have just been maxed.