Artest, Jackson get 7-game suspensions

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Sports / Basketball

Artest, Jackson get 7-game suspensions

(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-16 09:01

Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson are in trouble with the NBA again. The
central figures in the brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills were each
suspended without pay by the league on Saturday for the first seven games
of next season because of their most recent legal problems.

And their history of headaches was likely the reason they were slapped
with stronger penalties than other players who have been suspended in
recent years for getting in trouble with the law.

"Both were serious offenses and each are repeat violators of NBA rules,"
spokesman Tim Frank said.

The NBA's collective bargaining agreement calls for a minimum 10-game
suspension when a player is convicted of or pleads no contest to a
violent felony. While the league felt these crimes fell short of that, it
came down hard on both players — who are already used to hearing from
the league office.

Artest and Jackson were Pacers' teammates in November 2004 when they were
involved in a brawl with fans during a game against the Detroit Pistons.
Artest was suspended for 73 games and the playoffs — the NBA's harshest
punishment for a fight — and Jackson was suspended for 30 games.

Artest pleaded no contest in May to a misdemeanor domestic violence
charge stemming from a March 5 dispute with his wife, the latest in a
string of off-court problems.

Placer County Superior Court Judge Francis Kearney sentenced Artest to
100 hours of community service and a 10-day work project through the
county sheriff's department. The Sacramento Kings forward also was fined
$600 and ordered to get extensive counseling.

Artest was in Africa on a humanitarian mission at the time his penalty
was announced. He is with union director Billy Hunter taking part in the
players association's "Feeding One Million" campaign in Kenya and could
be unaware of his suspension.

A response from Artest and the union, including whether they plan to
appeal, might not come until they return to the United States.

Jackson of the Golden State Warriors pleaded guilty last month to a
felony count of criminal recklessness for firing a gun outside an Indiana
strip club last fall, when he was with the Pacers. He was ordered to pay
a $5,000 fine and perform 100 hours of community service.

"I accept the suspension, believe it is fair and definitely look forward
to having this entire process come to a conclusion in November," Jackson
said in a statement released by the Warriors. "Additionally, I apologize
to my teammates, our fans, our ownership and the NBA for the negativity
this has created and the poor example that I set."

Artest will lose nearly $471,000 in salary, about $50,000 more than
Jackson.

The NFL has toughened its punishment of players for off-the-field conduct
under commissioner Roger Goodell, but the NBA has a long list of players
it has suspended for actions off the court.

For example, Ruben Patterson was hit with a five-game suspension in 2001
after he entered a modified guilty plea in Washington state to
third-degree attempted rape for allegedly forcing his children's nanny to
perform a sex act on him. Three years ago, Eddie Griffin was penalized
three games after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in
Texas.

Former Sacramento Kings coach Eric Musselman was suspended two games by
the league last season for driving under the influence. The last player
punished by the NBA was new Orlando forward Rashard Lewis, who got a
one-game ban in April 2006 while playing for Seattle after he pleaded
guilty to reckless driving.

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