Tag: the 1996 NBA

Former Spur Walker jailed after allegedly eating his weed after traffic stop

Maybe it was the munchies.

But there’s more to the weekend story about former Spurs player Samaki Walker on drug possession charges that helps explains his arrest.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Walker was arrested by police in Kingman, Ariz., after a routine traffic stop. Arizona authorities allege that as a Department of Public Safety officer approached his 2002 Mercedes-Benz late Thursday in Kingman.

Officials said about 10 grams of marijuana was seized from the vehicle along with some prescription drugs and eight bottles of liquid steroids.

Walker, who played with the Spurs from 1999-2001, cooperated with officers at the Mohave County Jail, police said. He told police that he uses steroids to improve his athletic ability because he still plays professional basketball in Syria.

Walker told police the steroids are legal in Syria, but possession is a misdemeanor in Arizona, police told the Review-Journal.

The Woodland Hills, Calif., resident was drafted ninth in the first round of the 1996 NBA draft by Dallas. His 10-year NBA career ended in 2006 after stints with the Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami, Washington, Indiana and the Spurs.

He was a member of the Lakers’ 2002 championship team, starting 63 games during the regular season.

Bond was set at $2,000 for Walker’s release with a preliminary hearing set for Friday.

His story should be an interesting one for lawmen once his trial begins.

Former Spurs jailed after legal scrapes

Two former Spurs have been involved in brushes with the law this week that have led to their incarceration.

Jay Vincent, who played 24 games with the Spurs in the 1988-89 season, was jailed Thursday in East Lansing, Mich., . He had pleaded guilty to charges of fraud last year, according to an article by the Lansing State Journal.

And former Spurs forward/center Samaki Walker was arrested late Thursday on drug charges in Kingman, Ariz.  

Vincent’s bond was revoked at a U.S. District Court hearing today and he will be held at the Newaygo County Jail, the article said.

Vincent, who had a nine-season career for six NBA teams, allegedly traveled the country charging people to try out for a fake basketball team.

“We indicated he might be engaging in additional fraud and felt it is pretty clear (and) evident he was writing false checks,” U.S. Attorney Mike MacDonald said in a previous interview.

Vincent also allegedly made at least $2 million on an Internet scam charging people to certify them as home inspectors.

His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 2.

Walker, who played 132 games for the Spurs in two seasons from 1999-2001, was booked into the Mohave County (Ariz.) jail , as well as one count of tampering with physical evidence, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. 

After being the ninth selection in the 1996 NBA Draft after playing at Louisville, Walker played 445 games in a 10-season career with six different NBA franchises. He was a member of the 2002 Los Angeles Lakers championship team.