 | |
Stevenson flees attackers at gym
Associated Press
CLOVIS, Calif. -- DeShawn
Stevenson got into a brawl at a Clovis, Calif., gym shortly after the high school star was drafted in the first round by the Utah Jazz.
"I think it was just a jealousy situation," said Stevenson,
19. He said one of the participants was his former teammate Chris
Sims, whom he had known since seventh grade.
Hours after the draft, Stevenson attended a high school all-star
game he had planned to play in. As he prepared to leave, he was
attacked, he said.
"I guess there were some dudes there who didn't like me,"
Stevenson said. "I got done signing autographs and five guys
jumped me."
Stevenson was in the middle of a fight involving 20 youths,
witnesses told the Fresno Bee.
Stevenson arrived at a Thursday press conference in Utah with a
small cut on his lower lip, but was otherwise unharmed.
According to Stevenson, police arrived and broke up the fight
shortly after it began. Stevenson was sent home and he and
witnesses said two others were taken into custody.
Stevenson arrived at the gym after halftime. He signed
autographs, shook hands with fans and sat in the center of the
bleachers to watch the second half.
Joaquin Lopez, a school custodian who saw the fight, said
Stevenson was jumped.
"He got punched and then landed some punches of his own," he
said. "Then four of them chased (Stevenson) up in the stands and
beat on him before he got away."
Lopez and a second witness, Will Goldbeck, said Fresno City
College basketball coach Denny Aye escorted Stevenson to his new
Lexus SUV in the Buchanan High School parking lot as some of the
combatants gave chase.
Aye declined to comment to the Bee.
Buchanan administrator Lemarr Treadwell told the Bee he saw
Stevenson leave the gym with two individuals in pursuit. He said
one of those was Sims, an ex-Clovis High School standout and
Fresno State football recruit who played in the all-star game.
"Chris was put in a squad car, and one other man was put in a
squad car," Treadwell said.
Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller said the fight would not effect
Stevenson's future with the organization.
"It in no way tarnishes our outlook on DeShawn," said Miller.
"We're upset," added Jazz vice president of basketball
operations Kevin O'Connor, "We're upset at the guys who got in
DeShawn's face."
Stevenson, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, had signed with Kansas but
made himself eligible for the draft when it wasn't certain if he
would be eligible as a freshman. He was selected by the Jazz as the
23rd pick overall.
Jayhawks coach Roy Williams has called Stevenson one of the most
gifted recruits he ever pursued. Last season, Stevenson averaged
30.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists a game as a senior at
Washington Union High School.
Both the Jazz and Stevenson seemed eager to put the fight behind
them Thursday; O'Connor calling it a non-incident and Stevenson
saying it was not something that would happen again.
"I know I've got to go to the right places," said Stevenson.
"I'm an NBA star, I can't just go anywhere anymore."
"Kevin's charge was to get a player with some athleticism, some
ability and some flash," said Dennis Haslam, president of Larry H.
Miller Sports, "That's the kid."
The drafting of a high school player represents a departure for
the Jazz, normally one of the most conservative teams in the NBA.
"It's a move into reality," said O'Connor." The reality is
that players in the NBA are getting younger."
Stevenson was the No. 23 pick in Wednesday's draft.
The Jazz have not had high draft picks in the last 10 years, and
O'Connor called this year's pick a chance to get a player with more
talent than would usually be available.
"If he had stayed in school a year or two, he'd be a wish-list
player for us," said O'Connor.
The Jazz have had trouble attracting big name free agents in the
last few seasons. Most recently Shandon Anderson cited lifestyle
issues as a reason to leave Utah.
But neither Stevenson nor his stepfather Terry Popps seemed
unhappy about the move to Utah.
"This is a blessing to be here," said Popps. "The lord was
looking out for him, telling him where he needs to be."
Stevenson described himself as a gym rat, and said he was not
concerned about social opportunities in Utah.
"I think Utah is a great place for me," he said. "I
understand that if I work hard, in the future this is going to be a
great team."
| |
|
DeShawn Stevenson gives his account of the incident.