Washington Wizards Blog – Page 55 – NBA Blog

Javaris Crittenton reportedly robbed of $55,000 worth of jewelry in April

A former NBA player who is accused of shooting an Atlanta woman to death appeared to be retaliating for being robbed of $55,000 worth of jewelry, police said.

Javaris Crittenton, who was suspended from the NBA along with his ex-teammate Gilbert Arenas for having guns in a locker room, was arrested late Monday at a Southern California airport. He has been charged with murder in the Aug. 19 shooting death of Jullian Jones outside her house in Atlanta, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.

Crittenton’s attorneys have said he will exonerated.

Crittenton told police he and a friend were leaving a barbershop around 10:50 p.m. April 21 when two teenagers surprised them as they returned to their car, according to police report released to The Associated Press.

One teenager held Crittenton at gunpoint and ordered him to “give me what you got,” he told police. He said he handed over a $25,000 black diamond necklace, a $30,000 black diamond watch, an iPhone and $25 cash, according to the report.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Javaris Crittenton arrested in California

The sad saga of former NBA player Javaris Crittenton continues.

The AP reports:

Former NBA player Javaris Crittenton, who was suspended from the league for having guns in a locker room with teammate Gilbert Arenas, was arrested Monday in Southern California to face a murder charge in a deadly Atlanta shooting, an attorney said Monday.

Crittenton was taken into custody at about 8 p.m. at John Wayne Airport in Orange County after checking in for a Delta Air Lines flight to Atlanta, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.

Eimiller said he was arrested without incident by FBI agents with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Authorities were trying to determine whether Crittenton will make an initial appearance in federal court, or be taken directly to Atlanta to face state charges there.

“He offered to turn himself in,” Lawyer Brian Steel told The Associated Press earlier Monday. “He’s not guilty. We look forward to getting it to the courts.”

We at InsideHoops.com continue to hope that it turns out Javaris didn’t do it, and is found innocent.

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FBI joins police in searching for Javaris Crittenton

Javaris Crittenton has gone from being a professional basketball player to a man on the run.

The Chicago Tribune reports:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is helping police in Atlanta and Los Angeles search for a former NBA player wanted for murder.

FBI Special Agent Steve Emmett in Atlanta told The Associated Press on Sunday that the agency is involved as police look for Javaris Crittenton. Authorities say Crittenton is charged in the fatal shooting of 22-year Jullian Jones, a mother of four who was gunned down Aug. 19 in Atlanta..

Atlanta police spokesman Sgt. Curtis Davenport said Crittenton was not in custody as of Sunday afternoon.

It’s a sad story, and I still hope that he turns out to be innocent of charges. Maybe he’s running around trying to find evidence to clear his name. That’s what would happen on a TV show, at least. Unfortunately, this is real.

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Javaris Crittenton charged with homicide

This is wild. And very bad. After getting into trouble with the NBA and Washington Wizards due to the “guns (and threats) in the locker room” incident with former teammate Gilbert Arenas that resulted in lengthy league suspensions, there’s now a much bigger negative development in the world of guard Javaris Crittenton.

Alexis Stevens of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports:

A former NBA player and Georgia Tech standout has been charged with shooting a 23-year-old woman to death, Atlanta police said Friday night.

Javaris Crittenton faces a homicide charge in the death Jullian Jones, according to Carlos Campos, APD spokesman.

Jones was walking with others near 2915 Macon Drive in southwest Atlanta around 10 p.m. Aug. 19 when she was shot, Campos said. Jones, a mother of three, was struck in the hip and later died during surgery.

Two men walking with Jones fled and were not injured.

And more, from WSBTV.com:

Police said the motive appears to be retaliation for a robbery that occurred in April in which Crittendon was a victim.

Crittendon most recently played with the Washington Wizards.

In 2010, Crittenton was suspended for an incident involving a gun inside the locker room.

Crittenton went to high school at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. He helped lead Georgia Tech to a 20-12 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2007 as a freshman.

I just hope that Javaris is innocent — as presumed, until proven otherwise.

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Alonzo Gee signs in Poland

Asseco Prokom added another weapon to its new-look backcourt with the signing of Alonzo Gee. The move comes on the heels of the additions of fellow newcomers Leroy Nobles and Jerrel Blassingame, all of whom can make their Euroleague debuts this season. Gee (1.98 meters, 24 years old) arrives from Cleveland of the NBA, where he averaged 7.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 40 games last season. He has also played for Washington and San Antonio in the NBA, as well as for Austin in the NBA D-League after finishing his college career at the University of Alabama (NCAA).

— Reported by Euroleague.net

Houston lands 2013 NBA All-Star Game

Mark Berman of My Fox Houston reports:

NBA sources told FOX 26 Sports the Houston Rockets and the City of Houston landed the NBA All-Star Game in 2013. The game will be played at Toyota Center on Feb. 17, 2013. NBA All-Star week will be Feb. 15-17. The Rockets and Toyota Center also hosted the game in 2006.

Click2Houston reports:

The entire NBA All-Star Weekend will be in the Bayou City from February 15-17, 2013. Hilton Americas Marketing Director Janice O’Neill-Cox spoke with Local 2 Sports Wednesday afternoon, saying, “We played a key role in working with the league to make sure availability was in place. It’s a big boost for our city to land the game, and we’re excited about it.”

InsideHoops.com editor says: I don’t get why Houston is getting the game again. They just had it in 2006. Meanwhile, other teams haven’t hosted it in a long time. Also, Madison Square Garden renovations will be mostly complete in time. And the new Brooklyn Nets arena will exist by mid 2012. Unusual call to send the big weekend back to Houston so soon.

Actress who played Snoop on The Wire pleads guilty in drug case

Tricia Bishop of the Baltimore Sun reports:

Felicia “Snoop” Pearson, who overcame a troubled childhood and a murder conviction to launch an acting career as a drug-gang assassin on HBO’s “The Wire,” pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to sell heroin.

She was sentenced to seven years in prison, with all of the time suspended except for the five months she has already served while awaiting trial, most of it spent at home, under electronic monitoring. She could be sent back to finish the term if she violates probation over the next three years.

“While I’m delighted to have you here, I don’t want to see you again,” Baltimore Circuit Judge Lawrence P. Fletcher-Hill told the actress, expressing a sentiment shared by her fans, many of whom were crushed by the news of her March arrest in an early-morning sting operation…

Pearson and several dozen others were arrested in a series of March raids on allegations that they ran a vast heroin conspiracy throughout the city. The scheme was discovered after authorities recorded key players discussing the alleged operation on a wiretap — a case of life imitating “The Wire,” which depicted Baltimore’s drug trade and law enforcement efforts to battle it.

Wizards forward Trevor Booker excited to play in Israel

Michael Lee of the Washington Post (blog) reports:

No one knows for sure when the next NBA season will begin, but Wizards forward Trevor Booker has already ensured that he will be playing professional basketball this fall. Booker signed a one-year deal on Thursday with Israeli Basketball League team Bnei HaSharon that has an opt-out clause that will allow him to return to the Wizards whenever the lockout ends.

Booker is the first member of the Wizards to sign with a team overseas since the lockout began on July 1. Booker’s agent, Andy Miller, said that Booker had been “getting an earful for about 40 days” about the possibility of playing overseas until the right deal came along with the team that plays in the top division of Israeli basketball. Wizards General Manager Ernie Grunfeld’s son, Dan, played for Bnei HaSharon last season.

Booker has traveled overseas to Turkey and Serbia and said he was “definitely open.” After speaking with his parents, Booker decided to take advantage of the opportunity. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“I’m real excited,” Booker said in a telephone interview on Thursday. “I get to play against some competition again. I think it will be a neat experience, so I’m definitely excited.”

Kobe Bryant to play in Celebrity Soccer Challenge at Kastles Stadium, Washington D.C.

Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times (blog) reports:

Had he remained in Italy, Kobe Bryant may very well have been honing his footwork on the pitch instead of the hardwood.

He’ll have a chance to do that Sunday when he appears in the Celebrity Soccer Challenge at Kastles Stadium in Washington D.C., an event sponsored by former U.S. women’s soccer player Mia Hamm and her husband, ex-Dodger Nomar Garciaparra. But incidentally enough, Bryant may not have been making a token appearance on the soccer field had he seriously kept up with the sport.

Sure, it’s easy to imagine the uber competitive and athletic Bryant dazzling fans wearing an A.C. Milan uniform (his favorite childhood team) or an FC Barcelona jersey (his current favorite team). Bryant, however, sensed his skills kicking a soccer ball nowhere matched what he could do with a basketball, a sport he got serious about once his family moved to Philadelphia in 1991.

“I wasn’t anything spectacular,” Bryant once told the Chicago Tribune’s Luis Arroyave. “I would have moments of doing something crazy that really wasn’t done on purpose. I’d pull off a nice move that was unintentional.

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NBA Rookie Transition Program postponed

The NBA Rookie Transition Program, scheduled for August 9-11, has been postponed. The program, which provides first-year players with the skills and information necessary for a successful transition to the NBA, is run jointly by the NBA and the Players Association.

“Without a new collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players’ union, we will be unable to hold RTP as originally scheduled,” NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver said. “This is an important educational program for our incoming players, and it will be rescheduled once the parties agree on a CBA.”