ESBN.com: Stevenson enters "I did it, but I'm a baller" plea

Inspired by:
http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2001/0716/1226835.html


Tuesday, July 17, 2001

Stevenson enters "I did it, but I'm a baller" plea

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Disassociated Press


SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah Jazz shooting guard DeShawn Stevenson, who faces a statutory rape charge in California, said Monday he's not worried about the possibility of serving jail time.


"I'm not concerned about that at all," Stevenson said after the Jazz opened summer camp for young players and free agents. "I'm just worried about basketball. I just want to play basketball. The California Penal League is one of the toughest around. My game should improve if I participate in some of their tournaments."


Stevenson, 20, is accused of being so stupid as to have sex with a 14-year-old girl at a motel in his hometown of Fresno, Calif. instead of going to the local butt naked club and getting himself some there, on June 6. He faces up to three years in prison if convicted.


He has pleaded innocent to luring a 14 year old into having sex with a bottle of bad liquor. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 30.


Stevenson was taken by Utah out of Mount Washington High School in the first round of last year's NBA draft. He watched from the bench for much of last season, averaging 2.2 points and 7.3 minutes in 40 games.


"I haven't been playing in a long time....I've been at home rubbing one out every hour like my Uncle Malcolm told me to. I'm going to go out there, have fun and compete," Stevenson said.


When the story initially was reported, team officials were careful to take the politically correct position and not risk insulting their player before his is given a slap on the wrist and allowed to play ball. Since then, they've said they'll focus on basketball and let the courts sweep Stevenson's case under the rug.


"He's one sick puppy, but he has game and is the first Jazz player to be able to create off the dribble since Pistol Pete" coach Jerry Sloan said Monday. "Our job, basketball-wise, is still the same. We are going to ignore the criminal justice system and let it apply its double standard on its own."


Stevenson faced a throng of reporters after practice. He stood patiently, deflecting repeated questions about his legal matters and his life by saying he's back in Salt Lake City to concentrate on his game and that he wished the legal system would ignore his crime because he is a NBA player.


"I'm just going out and playing basketball, keeping my mind off everything else. I'm just going on with my life. I would hope that the judge can get on with his life and see that I am here playing NBA basketball, which makes me immune from punishment" he said.


Sloan said the 6-foot-5 Stevenson needs to work on his outside shot and defense. He also expects Stevenson to mature on the court and seek mature women off the court.


"He's a first-round player, he's been a spectator, and he's one sick (expletive deleted)" Sloan said. "Now he's going to be more involved as a participator instead of a perpetrator, to be involved in some of the things we're trying to do and hopefully get confidence and grow into seeking out sexual conquests who were at least born during the first Reagan administration."


"It's a long process and you've got to go through a lot of ups and downs in that process," Sloan said. "I know that I've been on a number of uppers and downers myself after having to justify these sick b*stard players I have coached who will apparently jump anything that menustrates."


Teammates said they'll be supportive of Stevenson so that he'll be supportive of them when they face their own legal troubles.


"I wish him the best," forward Scott Padgett said. "I hope everything turns out OK, but we'll have to let the courts take care of it and let him get on with what is really important, playing NBA basketball for millions of dollars."


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[This message has been edited by Spurever (edited July 18, 2001).]