from espn: DETROIT -- Chris Webber was indicted on charges he lied to a grand jury about his dealings with a University of Michigan booster who admits lending the NBA star $280,000 while he was still an amateur. Webber, who led Michigan's "Fab Five" team to two NCAA title games, is in the second year of a $123 million, seven-year contract with the Sacramento Kings. He was charged Monday with obstruction of justice and making a false declaration before a grand jury, according to the FBI and U.S. attorney's office in Detroit. Indictment chronology April 28, 1999: FBI and IRS agents raided Ed Martin's home in Detroit, seized $20,000 in cash, a loaded gun and suspected gambling records. April 2000: Martin cut a deal for a reduced sentence in exchange for detailing his involvement with the Michigan basketball program to a federal grand jury. May 2000: Martin backed out of deal to testify before grand jury. June 2000: Chris Webber's father, Mayce Webber Jr., testified before federal grand jury. July 12, 2000: Webber missed a scheduled appearance before a grand jury in Detroit. Aug. 2, 2000: Webber testified before a federal grand jury for nearly an hour about his relationship with Martin. His aunt, Charlene Johnson, also testified. March 21, 2002: Martin, a retired Ford Motor Co. electrician, was indicted over alleged loans totaling $616,000 to Michigan players to help conceal profits made from gambling operations at local automobile plants. The federal indictment indicated Webber received $280,000 from Martin from 1988-93. March 30, 2002: Webber, on ESPN, denied he took $280,000 from Martin. May 28, 2002: Martin pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder money in a plea bargain that he hopes will keep him out of federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 8. Sept. 9, 2002: Chris Webber, his father and his aunt were indicted on charges of obstruction of justice and lying to a grand jury. -- Associated Press Webber planned to read a statement Tuesday afternoon outside the Kings' practice facility at Arco Arena in Sacramento. "I didn't lie," Webber told USA Today in a story published Tuesday. "The truth always comes out. What this case is about is a 70-year-old man dressed in hip-hop clothes who befriended kids and said he loved kids, and I believed him. "I didn't know he saw my potential before I saw it. Threats were made. Those threats have come to reality. I believe this is extortion. After the trial, and I am vindicated, this case will be bigger than me lying to the grand jury, which I did not do." Former booster Ed Martin pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to launder money, admitting he took gambling money, combined it with other funds and lent it to several players while they were still amateurs. Webber told the Sacramento Bee he had not spoken to Martin in more than 10 years. "Why would I go into court like it's being said and lie to help a man who has been threatening me?" Webber told the Bee in a story published Tuesday. "I went to court to help the prosecution." According to the Bee, Webber said he was speaking against the advice of his attorney. Further telephone calls Tuesday to Webber's cell phone, his agent's office and several Sacramento Kings executives were not returned. Martin, 68, said his payments included $280,000 to Webber; $160,000 to Robert Traylor, now with the New Orleans Hornets; $105,000 to Maurice Taylor, now with the Houston Rockets; and $71,000 to Louis Bullock, who has been playing professionally in Europe. Former Michigan star Jalen Rose, now with the Chicago Bulls, said in May he took "pocket money" from Martin. The 29-year-old Webber publicly denied taking significant amounts of money from Martin. The maximum penalty on each charge is five years and a fine of $250,000. Payments to college players violate NCAA rules. The indictment said Webber, his father and aunt gave false information to the university in its internal investigation and the school forwarded it to the NCAA. Prosecutors, NCAA spokesman Wally Renfro, Kings spokesman Darren May and Michigan athletics director Bill Martin declined comment. The indictment says Webber, his father and his aunt conspired to conceal the cash, checks, clothing, jewelry and other benefits provided to the player and his family by Martin from 1988 to 1993. Webber's father, Mayce Webber Jr., and his aunt, Charlene Johnson, were indicted on the same charges as Webber. Neither immediately returned messages. Webber told the Bee he was angered by the indictment of his father and aunt. "(Martin) knew the best way to hurt me was to hurt my family," Webber told the newspaper. Traylor and Bullock admitted to the grand jury they received the loans, said their attorney, Steve Fishman. Webber, a 6-foot-10, 245-pound forward and four-time All-Star, has averaged 22.1 points and 10.2 rebounds during his nine-year career. He was the first pick in the 1993 draft and was rookie of the year with Golden State. He starred at Washington before being traded to the Kings. Webber led Sacramento to the Western Conference finals, where the Kings lost in seven games to the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers.
I'm not gonna jump C-Webb for taking money. If he's proved to have lied about it, well, I don't know, maybe he thought he wouldn't get caught. The NCAA is a joke of hypocrisy anyway. But I am glad we didn't sign him because we have a full roster now, we landed Yao, we did real well for ourselves. Chris Webber has so much talent but there's something I can't quite place about his game. He'll net you the softest 24.5 points and 11 rebounds and 5 assists per game. Stellar numbers; but where is he at crunch time? Why was Mike Bibby the only King to sack up at the end of the game? Of course, Sacramento might have been that much weaker if C-Webb had come to Houston, but in hindsight, we didn't have much of a chance anyway. I was pro-Webber when we had the cap space. Now I'm glad. "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it." Maybe a good thing we didn't.
I never considered that Webber would ever fit in here with the Rox. He never seemed to fit into the limitations that RT &CD try to use when selecting a Rox player. Besides that, I have never been drawn to him as a person or player!
Webber is a very talented player. But he is not the kind of franchise player that you can hang a team on: the way you can hang a team on Olajuwon, Jordan, or Duncan. He is the kind of guy that is the perenial best player on your team but is not the go-to guy you need at crunch time. So, he's not worth the max money with the Rockets, imo.
I've been glad we didn't since he blasted Houston for not pursueing him hard enough. He said it to make it seem like he was actually considering leaving Sac Town, what a joke.
I've been glad we didn't try to sign him since he blasted Houston for not pursueing him hard enough. He said it to make it seem like he was actually considering leaving Sac Town, what a joke.
Let's get this done all at one time; I am glad we didn't get Weber, M.Jackson, or Odom. Those moves looked good at the time, but they sure don't look good now.
i wish we would of signed webber. he has all-star written all over him. he would of brought us to the playoffs last year.
And we would not have gotten Ming either..... Also it would have hurt our chances of resigning Francis & EG to long term deals. But that being said...I would not have minded having him. CWebb was always about the money. Thats why he stayed with the Kings since they could pay him the most money...which they did.
I wasn't interested in having Webber on the Rockets in the first place because he has never stepped up in the clutch and prefers to score from the outside rather than getting in the paint when defenders are waiting for him to make a move. I didn't think he would get along with Francis or Mobley either.
I'm glad, but not because he is a liar, or took money, I just didn't think it would work out in the long run. Years from now if Ming is a success we will all be glad.
So what. The relevant part of the story is that MoT didn't lie under oath and therefore isn't facing 10 years. People always bash the Rocks for certain acquisitions. But the recent non-acquisitions are probably bigger. Right now, I'm happier with MoT, Rice and Cato than CWebb (80 mil), Rashard (70+ mil, if we gave in to demands) and Marc Jackson (who disappeared). At least our guys fit into our offensive scheme...now we just need to keep them healthy.
I think Sacramento has a great team and its too bad this has happened. I don't blame Webber for taking the money (supposedly) if this is indeed the case. College basketball and the universities make great sums of money off these kids and they don't see a dime. But I believe there is shame in lying about the event under oath since a number of great basketball players have admitted they have taken money from boosters. (ie. Charles Barkley) But I believe the thing to remember is Martin may very well be full of **** and Webber is innocent until proven guilty.
i don't think that webber will go to jail so the kings are in good shape. As for him being with us same situation he would not go to jail and we'd be fine.
I never liked webber cause of that fact. He does the stupidest things on the court. He insists on going between his legs 2 or 3 times and then pops one up. It's not like he's a bad jump shooter from 20 ft out. It's just your big, your quick, and u can get a higher percentage shot from that. Plus your already near the bucket to get the offensive board. And crunch time is a travesty. He's a 1st to 3rd kinda guy. I like how he tried to take the last shot this year and he busted a three. I think he over shot the whole rim and it just barely grazed the other side. But make no mistake about it, I would take his girlfriend in a heartbeat and the max contract he's making without a doubt.
