RJ Luis was a consensus second-team All-American this past season, averaging 18.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, two assists and 1.4 steals.
ACC’s new men’s basketball scheduling model produces one NC State-UNC meeting, no Duke-Miami matchup
Instate foes North Carolina and N.C. State will meet just once next year while Duke won't play the Miami team now coached by former Blue Devils assistant Jai Lucas in the Atlantic Coast Conference's reconfigured scheduling model. The ACC announced its second set of home-and-away partners Wednesday after announcing earlier this month that it would cut a 20-game men's basketball schedule to 18 as part of its efforts to boost the sport amid recent years of dwindling NCAA Tournament bids.
Big 12 men’s basketball decision to drop to 18 conference games goes beyond injury prevention
Another college basketball season in the books means another offseason to reset, recruit and reassess the growing needs of the game. Following a yearlong experiment with a 20-game conference schedule, the Big 12 announced its intention to return to 18 games for the upcoming season. Vice President of Big 12 Men's Basketball Brian Thornton said Wednesday there were multiple reasons for the change.
When do the 2025 NBA Finals start? Here's the full schedule and how to watch
When do the 2025 NBA Finals start? Here's the full schedule and how to watch originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Oklahoma City Thunder are roaring into the 2025 NBA Finals.
Top-seeded Oklahoma City was crowned Western Conference champions Wednesday night with a Game 5 home rout of the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s the first conference title for the Thunder since the 2012 postseason and their second since relocating from Seattle to OKC in 2008-09.
NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. enter the NBA Finals having lost just 18 total games across the regular season and postseason. The Thunder went 68-14 in the regular season, tying for the sixth-most victories in NBA history. They then swept the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies to open playoffs before outlasting three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the No. 4 Denver Nuggets in a seven-game battle.
Now, after eliminating the Anthony Edwards-led Wolves in five games, the Thunder sit one series victory away from securing their first championship in OKC. The franchise’s lone title was won in the 1979 Finalsby the Seattle SuperSonics.
OKC will need to get past either the No. 3 New York Knicks or No. 4 Indiana Pacers in order to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Indiana currently holds a commanding 3-1 series lead over New York in the Eastern Conference Finals.
So, when and where will the NBA Finals tip off? Here’s what to know:
Who has home-court advantage in the 2025 NBA Finals?
The Thunder will have home-court advantage in the NBA Finals regardless of opponent due to recording a superior regular-season record.
What is the format for the NBA Finals?
The NBA Finals are best-of-seven with a 2-2-1-1-1 format. Oklahoma City will host Games 1 and 2, along with the potential Games 5 and 7.
What day do the NBA Finals start?
The NBA Finals begin Thursday, June 5.
2025 NBA Finals schedule
- Game 1: Knicks/Pacers at Thunder — Thursday, June 5, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 2:Knicks/Pacers at Thunder — Sunday, June 8, 8 p.m. ET
- Game 3: Thunder at Knicks/Pacers — Wednesday, June 11, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 4: Thunder at Knicks/Pacers — Friday, June 13, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 5 (if necessary):Knicks/Pacers at Thunder — Monday, June 16, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 6 (if necessary): Thunder at Knicks/Pacers — Thursday, June 19, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 7 (if necessary):Knicks/Pacers at Thunder — Sunday, June 22, 8 p.m. ET
What TV channel are the NBA Finals on?
All NBA Finals games will air on ABC.
Where to stream the NBA Finals live online
The action will also be available to stream on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.
When do the 2025 NBA Finals start? Here's the full schedule and how to watch
When do the 2025 NBA Finals start? Here's the full schedule and how to watch originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Oklahoma City Thunder are roaring into the 2025 NBA Finals.
Top-seeded Oklahoma City was crowned Western Conference champions Wednesday night with a Game 5 home rout of the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s the first conference title for the Thunder since the 2012 postseason and their second since relocating from Seattle to OKC in 2008-09.
NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. enter the NBA Finals having lost just 18 total games across the regular season and postseason. The Thunder went 68-14 in the regular season, tying for the sixth-most victories in NBA history. They then swept the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies to open playoffs before outlasting three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the No. 4 Denver Nuggets in a seven-game battle.
Now, after eliminating the Anthony Edwards-led Wolves in five games, the Thunder sit one series victory away from securing their first championship in OKC. The franchise’s lone title was won in the 1979 Finalsby the Seattle SuperSonics.
OKC will need to get past either the No. 3 New York Knicks or No. 4 Indiana Pacers in order to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Indiana currently holds a commanding 3-1 series lead over New York in the Eastern Conference Finals.
So, when and where will the NBA Finals tip off? Here’s what to know:
Who has home-court advantage in the 2025 NBA Finals?
The Thunder will have home-court advantage in the NBA Finals regardless of opponent due to recording a superior regular-season record.
What is the format for the NBA Finals?
The NBA Finals are best-of-seven with a 2-2-1-1-1 format. Oklahoma City will host Games 1 and 2, along with the potential Games 5 and 7.
What day do the NBA Finals start?
The NBA Finals begin Thursday, June 5.
2025 NBA Finals schedule
- Game 1: Knicks/Pacers at Thunder — Thursday, June 5, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 2:Knicks/Pacers at Thunder — Sunday, June 8, 8 p.m. ET
- Game 3: Thunder at Knicks/Pacers — Wednesday, June 11, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 4: Thunder at Knicks/Pacers — Friday, June 13, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 5 (if necessary):Knicks/Pacers at Thunder — Monday, June 16, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 6 (if necessary): Thunder at Knicks/Pacers — Thursday, June 19, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 7 (if necessary):Knicks/Pacers at Thunder — Sunday, June 22, 8 p.m. ET
What TV channel are the NBA Finals on?
All NBA Finals games will air on ABC.
Where to stream the NBA Finals live online
The action will also be available to stream on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.
Former Grand Canyon guard Tyon Grant-Foster heading to Gonzaga
A 6-foot-7 senior, Grant-Foster was the 2024 Western Athletic Conference player of the year.
NBA Draft withdrawals: Florida is the big winner, while Duke is on the losing end
NIL has changed the calculus, with college basketball’s top underclassmen now routinely returning to school rather than entering the NBA Draft.
Duke’s ACC slate announced
Blue Devils will play UNC and Louisville twice but miss out on game against Miami USA Today Sports Duke will play North Carolina and Louisville twice in the upcoming men’s basketball season, the ACC announced Wednesday afternoon.
O'Connor: Stevens should take page out of Ainge's playbook
O'Connor: Stevens should take page out of Ainge's playbook originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has had to make some tough decisions since replacing Danny Ainge in 2021. This upcoming offseason, however, is shaping up to be his most challenging yet.
Restrictive second-apron penalties will force Stevens and the C’s to make noteworthy roster changes this summer. Boston, which is currently $20 million over the threshold, must decide whether to attempt to “thread the needle” with tweaks to its championship core or undergo a full reboot.
Will Stevens channel his inner “Trader Danny”? Yahoo Sports’ NBA insider Kevin O’Connor made the case for Stevens to maximize his players’ trade value this offseason.
“I think back to Danny Ainge,” O’Connor told co-hosts Drew Carter and Chris Forsberg on NBC Sports Boston’s The OffC’season special. “Danny Ainge, what did he do when he traded Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Brooklyn Nets? Two things: A, he traded them before they fell off a cliff. Before they aged out and before they were near retirement. And B, he took advantage of a completely desperate franchise in the Brooklyn Nets. That’s why they got Jayson Tatum, that’s why they got Jaylen Brown, that’s why they had 10 straight years of making the playoffs and why they won a Finals.”
Of course, Pierce was 35 and past his prime when he and the Celtics parted ways. Kevin Garnett was 36 and his best days were well behind him.
Boston’s most valuable trade chips, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, are 29 and 31, respectively. Both are in the prime of their careers.
Trading oft-injured 30-year-old big man Kristaps Porzingis or 35-year-old guard Jrue Holiday seems more realistic, though O’Connor wouldn’t take anything off the table if another general manager calls Stevens with an enticing offer.
“For Stevens, he needs to find the most desperate team,” O’Connor added. “Whether that means Brown or White, or whether it means (Kristaps) Porzingis as an expiring salary, or whether it means Jrue Holiday as the final piece for the Dallas Mavericks and Nico Harrison’s vision. Whatever it is, finding the most desperate team to get the best value back based off of how you perceive your own player.
“That could be a lot of pain. It might mean trading Derrick White. But if the Warriors are going to give you a Mikal Bridges type of deal — like four, five first-round picks — how do you say no? You can’t say no.”
Holiday has already been connected to the Mavericks in trade rumors, and the Warriors have reportedly “looked into” White as a potential option. O’Connor notes White especially as someone who could bring back a massive haul for the Celtics.
No matter what direction Stevens chooses, all signs point toward an uncomfortable offseason in Boston. The championship window may not be closed, but the window to win it all again with the 2024 core almost certainly has.
Watch the full “OffC’Season” episode below or on YouTube:
Caitlin Clark cleared to return Saturday against Liberty
After five games on the sidelines, WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark has been freed from her de facto "assistant coach" role. Friday afternoon, the Indiana Fever announced that Clark has been cleared to play in Saturday's game against the undefeated New York Liberty.
she's back
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 13, 2025
Caitlin Clark is ready to play tomorrow against New York. pic.twitter.com/tOfuyfF99M
Check out Rotoworld’s newly-launched WNBA Player News section, the best place to keep up to date with transactions, injuries, and game results around the W this season!
How did Caitlin Clark get injured?
The Fever announced on May 26 thatClark would be out for at least two weeks with a strained left quadriceps muscle. The reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year has gotten off to a good start to her second season, averaging 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.8 three-pointers in 34.9 minutes.
The exact timing of Clark's injury is unknown. She dealt with a left leg injury during the preseason, sitting out Indiana's May 3 opener against the Washington Mystics. However, that was the first of two games in as many days for the Fever, who face Brazil's national team in Iowa City the following day. Clark was on the floor for her "homecoming," playing 19 minutes and finishing with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists, one blocked shot and four three-pointers in the blowout victory. Clark also played 23 minutes in Indiana's preseason finale against the Atlanta Dream on May 10.
Fever coach Stephanie White said during her availability on May 27 that this injury is not related to the leg issue that Clark dealt with during the preseason. Clark played 38 minutes in Indiana's two-point loss to the Liberty on May 24 and would then undergo an MRI on her quad. The strain would be discovered then, sidelining the point guard for at least two weeks.
How many games did Caitlin Clark miss?
While the initial timeline announced by the Fever meant Clark would miss a minimum of four games, she would miss five. The fifth was Indiana's 77-58 loss to Atlanta on June 10, dropping the Fever to 4-5 overall and 2-1 in Commissioner's Cup competition. The good news for Indiana is that it is still in second place in the East in the cup competition, with New York boasting a 3-0 record ahead of Saturday's matchup.
While New York (+75) would still hold a decided advantage over the Fever (+17) in the point differential category, an Indiana victory would tighten up the race for the top spot in the East.
Who filled in for Caitlin Clark?
When Clark was injured, Fever coach Stephanie White moved veteran guard Sydney Colson into the starting lineup. In the five games she started, Colson averaged 4.0 points and 2.4 assists in 21.4 minutes. Also, she was injured during Indiana's May 30 loss to Connecticut, but did not miss any time beyond the remainder of that contest.
Alsosuffering an injury during Clark's absence was reserve guard Sophie Cunningham, who sprained her right ankle for the second time this season during the aforementioned loss to the Sun. Clark has not appeared in a game since and will not be available for Saturday's game against New York.
The player who benefited the most from Clark's injury was Aari McDonald, who was signed on a hardship exemption on June 1. In three appearances, the 2021 first-round pick averaged 11.0 points, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.0 three-pointers in 25.3 minutes, shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 69.2 percent from the foul line.
Indiana won two of the three games McDonald played in, with the lone defeat being Tuesday's loss to Atlanta. Clark's return moved Indiana back to 10 game-eligible players, meaning that McDonald had to be released in a corresponding move. Her brief stint with the Fever may be enough to get McDonald a look from another WNBA team soon.
UPDATED 2025 WNBA MVP ODDS
(from DraftKings Sportsbook)
Napheesa Collier: -330
Caitlin Clark: +400
A’ja Wilson: +3000
Breanna Stewart: +3500
When do the 2025 NBA Finals start? Here's the full schedule and how to watch
When do the 2025 NBA Finals start? Here's the full schedule and how to watch originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Oklahoma City Thunder are roaring into the 2025 NBA Finals.
Top-seeded Oklahoma City was crowned Western Conference champions Wednesday night with a Game 5 home rout of the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s the first conference title for the Thunder since the 2012 postseason and their second since relocating from Seattle to OKC in 2008-09.
NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. enter the NBA Finals having lost just 18 total games across the regular season and postseason. The Thunder went 68-14 in the regular season, tying for the sixth-most victories in NBA history. They then swept the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies to open playoffs before outlasting three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the No. 4 Denver Nuggets in a seven-game battle.
Now, after eliminating the Anthony Edwards-led Wolves in five games, the Thunder sit one series victory away from securing their first championship in OKC. The franchise’s lone title was won in the 1979 Finalsby the Seattle SuperSonics.
OKC will need to get past either the No. 3 New York Knicks or No. 4 Indiana Pacers in order to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Indiana currently holds a commanding 3-1 series lead over New York in the Eastern Conference Finals.
So, when and where will the NBA Finals tip off? Here’s what to know:
Who has home-court advantage in the 2025 NBA Finals?
The Thunder will have home-court advantage in the NBA Finals regardless of opponent due to recording a superior regular-season record.
What is the format for the NBA Finals?
The NBA Finals are best-of-seven with a 2-2-1-1-1 format. Oklahoma City will host Games 1 and 2, along with the potential Games 5 and 7.
What day do the NBA Finals start?
The NBA Finals begin Thursday, June 5.
2025 NBA Finals schedule
- Game 1: Knicks/Pacers at Thunder — Thursday, June 5, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 2:Knicks/Pacers at Thunder — Sunday, June 8, 8 p.m. ET
- Game 3: Thunder at Knicks/Pacers — Wednesday, June 11, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 4: Thunder at Knicks/Pacers — Friday, June 13, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 5 (if necessary):Knicks/Pacers at Thunder — Monday, June 16, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 6 (if necessary): Thunder at Knicks/Pacers — Thursday, June 19, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 7 (if necessary):Knicks/Pacers at Thunder — Sunday, June 22, 8 p.m. ET
What TV channel are the NBA Finals on?
All NBA Finals games will air on ABC.
Where to stream the NBA Finals live online
The action will also be available to stream on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.
Timberwolves vs. Thunder Game 5 Predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for May 28
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Preview
It’s Wednesday, May 28, and the Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33) and Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14) are all set to square off from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
The Timberwolves are currently 24-17 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the Thunder have a 8-2 record in their last ten games at home.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.
Game details & how to watch Timberwolves vs. Thunder live today
- Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2025
- Time: 8:30PM EST
- Site: Paycom Center
- City: Oklahoma City, OK
- Network/Streaming: ESPN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.
Game odds for Timberwolves vs. Thunder
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
- Odds: Timberwolves (+282), Thunder (-358)
- Spread: Thunder -8.5
- Over/Under: 220 points
That gives the Timberwolves an implied team point total of 108.89, and the Thunder 113.32.
Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!
Expert picks & predictions for Wednesday’s Timberwolves vs. Thunder game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Timberwolves & Thunder game:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Oklahoma City Thunder on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Minnesota Timberwolves at +8.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 220.
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Timberwolves vs. Thunder on Wednesday
- The Thunder have won five straight divisional matchups at home
- The Thunder have scored 114 or more points in three of the four games in this series
- The Thunder are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games as home favourites
The Timberwolves have won 7 of their last 10 games against teams with winning records
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
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- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Suns' head coaching search reportedly down to five final candidates, all would be first-time head coaches
Phoenix went with someone new to the role — Brian Gregory — to be the team’s general manager, rather than going with a retread.
It appears the Suns will do the same thing with their head coach. Multiple reports have indicated that the Suns have narrowed their search for a new head coach down to five finalists, each of whom would be a first-time head coach in the league. This set of five was put out by the well-connected Phoenix radio reporter John Gambadoro and confirmed by Michael Scotto of Hoopshype.
Hearing Dallas assistant Sean Sweeney is heading to Phoenix to interview in person for the head coaching job tomorrow.
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) May 27, 2025
Another report from the Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin says Micah Nori, the Timberwolves' lead assistant, also could be in the mix.
What each of those candidates has in common is that they have not yet been a head coach in the NBA. Each of them is well-respected around the league, and each has interviewed for several other NBA coaching jobs but has yet to be placed in the big chair.
The new coach will be the Suns' fourth in the last four seasons and takes over for Mike Budenholzer in the wake of a disappointing 36-46 season that saw Phoenix finish outside even the play-in despite the highest payroll in the NBA. Beyond hiring a new coach, major roster changes are expected over the summer, starting with a trade of Kevin Durant and possibly Bradley Beal. The plan is to retool around Devin Booker, not tear down and rebuild but be competitive next season.
The challenge for Gregory and hands-on team owner Mat Ishbia is setting up an organizational culture, which flows into a style of play, and having the coach be the embodiment of that style. Whatever Gregory has in mind for retooling the roster, he needs a coach who is not only good at Xs and Os but can get the players to buy into that new system. A disconnect between the players and coaching staff was one of the problems in Phoenix last season, one that the new coach needs to change. It's a lot on the plate for a first-time coach.
Former NBA star Shawn Kemp pleads guilty to assault charge in Washington parking lot shooting
TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Former NBA star Shawn Kemp pleaded guilty to an assault charge on Tuesday for shooting at two men inside a vehicle in a Washington state mall parking lot.
Kemp, 55, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in Pierce County Superior Court in Tacoma as part of a plea agreement, according to the county Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The Toyota 4Runner the men were inside and another vehicle were damaged in the March 2023 shooting, but the men were not hurt.
Kemp was initially charged with one count of first-degree assault with a firearm enhancement, but prosecutors last week added another count of assault as well as a drive-by shooting charge, The Seattle Times reported. Convictions on those charges could have resulted in a lengthy prison term.
He will be sentenced in August. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Howe recommended that Kemp be sentenced to nine months in jail, one year of Department of Corrections supervision and support after he is released, and to pay restitution.
Kemp, a six-time NBA all-star who played for the Seattle SuperSonics from 1989 to 1997, declined to comment to the newspaper on Tuesday.
“Shawn is committed to moving forward in a positive direction,” Kemp’s attorney, Tim Leary, told the Times. “He was presented with an offer from the state that allows him to take responsibility, but I think also recognizes the self-defense nature of how this transpired.”
According to court documents filed by Kemp’s attorneys, Kemp and several employees who worked at his cannabis dispensary were at a Seattle concert venue when Kemp’s truck was broken into on March 8, 2023. An employee’s purse was stolen along with keys to Kemp’s business, a cellphone, paperwork and sports memorabilia, including game-worn Gary Payton and Kemp jerseys that were to be auctioned off for charity, the defense’s trial brief says.
Using a phone tracking app, Kemp located and briefly tried to talk to the driver of the 4Runner that was circling a casino parking lot, according to the trial brief. The men in the vehicle afterward dumped some of Kemp’s belongings but hung on to the phone, the brief says.
Kemp later saw his phone was near the Tacoma Mall. He drove there, spotted the same 4Runner and “expressed his understandable frustration” with the driver, according to the brief.
The brief says a man in the back seat “fired off a round from a handgun at Mr. Kemp. Mr. Kemp returned fire and attempted to disable the Toyota. It did not work.” The 4Runner fled and when the vehicle was found abandoned days later, an empty holster was found inside but there was no gun, documents said.
A police call log included in court records indicates that at least one witness who called 911 reported that two men were firing at each other.
Howe, in a statement explaining the plea agreement, wrote that because of the two witnesses’ past crimes of dishonesty and the “fact that those people were illegally in possession” of Kemp’s belongings, the case should be resolved short of trial.
As part of his plea, Kemp cannot have a firearm and will be required to provide a sample for a law enforcement DNA database.
Kemp debuted in the NBA during the 1989-90 season as a 20-year-old who had never played college basketball. He also played for Cleveland, Portland and Orlando and was known for his high-flying dunks.
Trouble finds ex-NBA star Shawn Kemp once again, and he may serve time for it
Shawn Kemp's name has long been synonymous with prodigious talent, a ton of trouble and wasted opportunity.
Now he'll likely also be known for a jail sentence.
Kemp, 55, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault Tuesday for shooting at two men inside a vehicle in a Tacoma, Wash., mall parking lot. The plea was part of an agreement in Pierce County Superior Court in which prosecutors will recommend nine months of confinement in the county jail when Kemp is sentenced in August.
Kemp was initially charged with one count of first-degree assault with a firearm enhancement after the March 2003 shooting, and prosecutors last week added another count of assault as well as a drive-by shooting charge. No one was hurt, but the Toyota 4Runner the men were inside and another vehicle were damaged.
Kemp contended in a court filing that he fired in self-defense after one of the men shot at him. The 4Runner drove off before Tacoma police arrived, and and an empty holster was found inside the vehicle when it was discovered abandoned days later.
“Shawn is committed to moving forward in a positive direction,” Kemp’s attorney Tim Leary told the Seattle Times. “He was presented with an offer from the state that allows him to take responsibility, but I think also recognizes the self-defense nature of how this transpired.”
Kemp famously battled cocaine addiction and fathered at least seven children with six different women during a 15-year NBA career that began when he was 19 years old in 1989.
Kemp was arrested in 2006 for drug possession in Washington after he was found with cocaine, marijuana, and a pistol.
Growth has been halting, however, even for someone who sprouted 13 inches between the ninth and 11th grades, topping out at 6-foot-10. His weight ballooned during his career from 230 pounds to more than 300, yet he remained capable of dominating on the court.
Read more:Kemp Becomes Loaded Question
That was long ago, though. And on Tuesday in court, his attorney explained that Kemp's truck was broken into on March 8, 2023, when he and other employees who worked at his marijuana dispensary, Kemp's Cannabis, were attending a concert in Seattle.
According to court documents, Kemp's cellphone and game-worn Kemp and Gary Payton jerseys were among the items stolen. Kemp used a phone tracking app to look for the thieves, and confronted the driver of the 4Runner in a Tacoma mall parking lot.
A man in the back seat shot at Kemp with a handgun, according to the filing, and Kemp returned fire. The 4Runner fled, and when the vehicle was found abandoned days later, an empty holster was found inside but there was no gun, documents said.
As part of his plea, Kemp cannot possess a firearm. In addition to the proposed nine-month sentence, Kemp will spend one year in community custody and pay restitution.
“His plan is to tell the community about the dangers of gun violence, really to be a positive influence on youth,” Aaron Kiviat, another of Kemp’s attorneys, told the Seattle Times.
In a statement outlining the plea agreement, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Howe said that the case should be resolved ahead of trial because the two alleged victims were illegally in possession of Kemp’s belongings.
Both alleged victims are currently serving prison sentences in other cases. One is serving a seven-year sentence, in part for a July 2023 shooting in which he mistook the victim for Kemp. The same man recently filed a civil suit against Kemp stemming from the mall shooting.
Nicknamed the "Reign Man," Kemp made $91,572,963 during his 15-year NBA career that ended in 2004. He was a six-time All-Star and helped the Seattle SuperSonics to the NBA finals in 1996 when he averaged a career-high 21.2 points a game. Kemp also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers and Orlando Magic.
Kemp reflected on the ups and downs of his career on the All the Smoke podcast with former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, saying, "Going through some problems and stuff that I went through in my career also hurts you at the end. But I think when you look at the good side of it, and you compare the numbers and stuff, I'm right there with some of the best ones."
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.