Chalmers and Arthur will start the NBA season suspended

[kstater]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3567481

March Madness heroes Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur were thrown out of the NBA's rookie transition program on Wednesday morning after being caught in their hotel room with marijuana, according to several sources.

"They were sent home for violating program rules," NBA spokesman Brian McIntyre said.

Sources said Chalmers and Arthur, who starred on the Kansas Jayhawks' 2008 NCAA championship team, were also fined $20,000 apiece and will start the regular season on the suspended list. But McIntyre would not confirm that.

"We're still looking into it," McIntyre said. "Once we have all the details, appropriate sanctions will be taken."

The players were caught by NBA security at the Doral Arrowwood resort in Rye Brook, N.Y., where 69 of the league's rookies arrived last night for the four-day seminar in which coaches, referees and former players speak about adapting to the league.

Chalmers, who sank the game-tying, buzzer-beating 3-pointer that forced overtime in Kansas' 75-68 championship victory over Memphis, was drafted 34th by Minnesota. He was quickly traded to Miami, where he is expected to vie for the starting point guard position after playing well during summer league. Chalmers played three seasons for the Jayhawks.

Arthur, also an early-entry candidate who played two years at Kansas, was a sympathetic figure on draft night. Roundly believed to have lottery-type talent, Arthur sank to the 27th spot after erroneous rumors of a health problem circulated throughout the league.

Then, after being selected by New Orleans, the 6-foot-9 forward was traded to Portland, then Houston, before finally settling in Memphis.

A source said No. 2 overall pick Michael Beasley was also in the room. The NBA, however, said Beasley is not believed to have been involved.

Per league policy, Chalmers and Arthur will have to attend the program again next season.

Chris Broussard is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine.

[Goapics1]

Ouch!

[DeezNutz]

****ing NBA.

These kids never did this in college.

[Demonpenz]

I was going to start in the NBA but I was high
I was going to ball it up on the court but I was high

Now I'm eating mcdonalds oh whyyyy

because I got high
cause I got high
because I was high

[teedubya]

Puff Puff pass Mario! Puff puff pass Shady!

[Basileus777]

They were stupid to get caught. Not a big deal though, I'd wager that the majority of NBA players smoke weed.

[ElGringo]

I thought weed was one of the benefits of the NBA, you get millions of dollars and a free pass on weed. I guess if this is the biggest problem they have in the NBA, all is good. It is amazing to me, smoke weed, get suspended, rape a girl, well, that is OK.

[kcxiv]

They were stupid to get caught. Not a big deal though, I'd wager that the majority of NBA players smoke weed.

I think its like that for football as well. Maybe not as high a percentage as there is alot more NFL players, but common sense tells you alot of people do it.

[BigVE]

I was surprised that Beasley wasn't there with them. ;)

[kstater]

I was surprised that Beasley wasn't there with them. ;)

Why would Beasley stoop down to hanging out with Chalmers and Arthur? :p

[Pitt Gorilla]

They should hire Mario's dad to oversee such operations. I've heard that his services were no longer needed at Kansas.

[alpha_omega]

A source said No. 2 overall pick Michael Beasley (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3418) was also in the room. The NBA, however, said Beasley is not believed to have been involved.

Yeah right....he just wasn't holdin'

[gblowfish]

Neither could pass an algebra exam?

[Reerun_KC]

Who?

[SPATCH]

marijuana is bad.

[Reerun_KC]

Drugs are bad!

[Pablo]

marijuana is bad.Haven't you heard?

It's a gateway drug...next year at this Rookie get together, they'll find heroin and PCP in their room.

[ChiefsFire]

Its for their cataracts man....

[Midnight_Vulture]

Ah, looks like Chalmers' daddy isnt gonna be helping him out of this one. Bummer.ROFL

Just wait til Chalmers gets his first paycheck and blows it on a nice shiney thing of bling. It gets snatched and he gets stabbed mulitple times. Seems to happen a lot to Gheyhawk players.:D

[Mr. Plow]

A source said No. 2 overall pick Michael Beasley (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3418) was also in the room. The NBA, however, said Beasley is not believed to have been involved

ROFL

"I was just sittin' there when bad ole Mario & bad ole Darrell busted out this joint. I tried to leave the room, but they wouldn't let me, so I just sat down for a bit."

[Demonpenz]

The drug part isn't bad, the bringing it to work is what gets me. come on

[BigRedChief]

They were stupid to get caught. Not a big deal though, I'd wager that the majority of NBA players smoke weed.
It use to not be banned by the NBA. Wasn't it only recently that they banned it?

[SPATCH]

Ah, looks like Chalmers' daddy isnt gonna be helping him out of this one. Bummer.ROFL

Just wait til Chalmers gets his first paycheck and blows it on a nice shiney thing of bling. It gets snatched and he gets stabbed mulitple times. Seems to happen a lot to Gheyhawk players.:D

yessss

[SPATCH]

Haven't you heard?

It's a gateway drug...next year at this Rookie get together, they'll find heroin and PCP in their room.

nuh uh...

see. told you.

[irishjayhawk]

Everyone pretends this doesn't happen and then acts totally caught off guard when it does.

America is one stupid fcking place.

[Midnight_Vulture]

Everyone pretends this doesn't happen and then acts totally caught off guard when it does.

America is one stupid fcking place.

Oh quit your bitchin you self-loathing liberal.

"OMGZ AmeriKKKa is soooo stupid!"

Then why dont you move you idiot? Go move to Cuba and see how much you would like it there.

As for people being "caught off guard" by it...ummm who??? Everyone in this thread is basically in agreement that Chalmers and his buddy are morons for risking their careers on pot.

[Elwaysux]

Beasley said he did not inhale. It worked for BJ Bill.

[ottawa_chiefs_fan]

The players were caught by NBA security at the Doral Arrowwood resort in Rye Brook, N.Y., where 69 of the league's rookies arrived last night for the four-day seminar in which coaches, referees and former players speak about adapting to the league.

The irony of this is off the charts.

[Braincase]

On ESPN's version of the story, they've already sanitized it. No mention of Beasley being in the room. Yeah, I'm a little disappointed in the young men, but I'd look like a hypocrite, because after my college career was done, I toked as much as anybody did.

Hell, there were plenty of times I went across from Fairmount Towers over into the cemetary with guys that went league in baseball or basketball back at Hillside High.

[Braincase]

Oh quit your bitchin you self-loathing liberal.

"OMGZ AmeriKKKa is soooo stupid!"

Then why dont you move you idiot? Go move to Cuba and see how much you would like it there.

As for people being "caught off guard" by it...ummm who??? Everyone in this thread is basically in agreement that Chalmers and his buddy are morons for risking their careers on pot.

So, you've admitted to your consumption and now you're criticizing someone else. You're either a hypocrite or you work at the datacenter for NORML.

[Mr. Arrowhead]

wow their great role models arent they?

[Midnight_Vulture]

So, you've admitted to your consumption and now you're criticizing someone else. You're either a hypocrite or you work at the datacenter for NORML.

I swear some people on here are either "slow" or they enjoy eating paint.

Look, I have smoke my fair share of pot in the past BUT if I was going into the NBA and it required me to give up smoking pot...I would do that in a New York minute.

Seriously, how hard is that for some of you tards to understand?

[Skip Towne]

So, you've admitted to your consumption and now you're criticizing someone else. You're either a hypocrite or you work at the datacenter for NORML.

He steals for a living.

[gblowfish]

I never thought I'd see anything that would bring solidarity to the KU and MU fans on this board.

But on one issue we are in complete agreement.

Midnight Douche is a total poop stain.

Did I say that out loud?

[Braincase]

Look, I have smoke!

Edited to focus on stupidity.

Good thing you don't have to worry about you in the NBA. I'm sure you have mad court skillz, to go along with being senior class president, captain of the golf and swim teams, valedictorian, and voted most likely to succeed.

You were home-schooled, right?

[irishjayhawk]

I don't see a big deal. Even if it was a K-State or Missouri player.

Weed should be legal. It's stupid that it's not. Period.

It is, sadly, illegal to grow or "cook" a plant.

[KcMizzou]

The drug part isn't bad, the bringing it to work is what gets me. come onExactly.

I wouldn't think it'd be too tough to leave it at home for four days.

[luv]

I don't see a big deal. Even if it was a K-State or Missouri player.

Weed should be legal. It's stupid that it's not. Period.

It is, sadly, illegal to grow or "cook" a plant.

Whatever our views are on the legality of pot, it's still illegal. Even if it was only a league rule, the guys still broke it.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

On ESPN's version of the story, they've already sanitized it. No mention of Beasley being in the room. Yeah, I'm a little disappointed in the young men, but I'd look like a hypocrite, because after my college career was done, I toked as much as anybody did.

Hell, there were plenty of times I went across from Fairmount Towers over into the cemetary with guys that went league in baseball or basketball back at Hillside High.

Something I heard said that ESPN initially reported Beasley was there, but now indications are maybe he showed up after the bust.

[CoMoChief]

No NBA player smoked more weed than Bill Walton......good god.

[JuicesFlowing]

Great way to start a career, bravo!

[Ultra Peanut]

Thanks for not getting caught at the same time as Andre Allen, you inconsiderate jerks.

[redbrian]

I don't see a big deal. Even if it was a K-State or Missouri player.

Weed should be legal. It's stupid that it's not. Period.

It is, sadly, illegal to grow or "cook" a plant.

Hell fire up the opium pipe brother…….

[irishjayhawk]

Whatever our views are on the legality of pot, it's still illegal. Even if it was only a league rule, the guys still broke it.

I'm not going to discuss their stupidity in this matter. I can't defend that.

However, I don't understand how it is always a big surprise to people that this goes on.

[Sure-Oz]

ROFL

"I was just sittin' there when bad ole Mario & bad ole Darrell busted out this joint. I tried to leave the room, but they wouldn't let me, so I just sat down for a bit."
He was probably sitting there scared shitless watching sponge bob, while eating a pixie stick

[gblowfish]

Well, if they're at NBA rookie orientation to learn how to act like a real NBA player, I think these guys are basically spot on. Now they just need to father five or six kids all in different cities by different women, and they're good to go!

[triple]

Sources: Stern angered by rookies' hotel room incident

Details of the scandal involving Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur are beginning to emerge as the NBA and the players' association investigate the events that led to their expulsion from the league's rookie transition program Wednesday.

Darrell Arthur

Arthur

Mario Chalmers

Chalmers

Several sources said Thursday that NBA commissioner David Stern was so angered by the two former Kansas players' alleged involvement with marijuana and women at the program that he made the call to remove them from their rooms at the Doral Arrowwood resort in Rye Brook, N.Y.

Chalmers and Arthur, who just months ago helped lead the Jayhawks to the 2008 NCAA championship, were dismissed from the four-day program after women -- a violation of the program's no-visitors rule -- and signs of marijuana usage were found in their hotel room.

According to sources, Chalmers and Arthur were caught in Arthur's room at the Doral Arrowwood resort in Rye Brook when a smoke alarm went off Wednesday at about 2 a.m. Hotel management went to the room, but the players refused to allow them in.

Management then left to get security, which used its own key to enter the room minutes later. Once inside, security found Chalmers, Arthur and at least two women. There was a strong stench of marijuana in the room, and one person was in the bathroom with the door locked, repeatedly flushing the toilet, sources said.

The police were called to the room, which they searched, but neither marijuana nor drug paraphernalia was found. Representatives from the players' association were also on the scene by that time.

Chalmers and Arthur were allowed to spend the night at the resort and were seemingly planning to attend a kickoff address by Stern later Wednesday morning. But after being told of the violations shortly before beginning his speech, Stern immediately had the players removed from their rooms.

Several sources described Stern as being furious.

The commissioner's anger was apparently evident when he began his speech; he mentioned Chalmers and Arthur by name and told the 67 rookies in attendance that the two would be thrown out of the program and forced to attend the 2009 session.

Sources said Chalmers and Arthur have already been fined $20,000 apiece and could start the regular season on the NBA's suspended list. But league spokesman Brian McIntyre would not confirm that.

"We're still looking into it," McIntyre said Wednesday. "Once we have all the details, appropriate sanctions will be taken."

Under the rules of the collective bargaining agreement, Chalmers and Arthur could soon be subjected to a drug test. If they fail, they would be required to enter the league's marijuana program, but they would not be suspended from playing in any games. Stern, however, could push to suspend the players for violating the rules of the rookie program.

Chalmers, who sank a game-tying, buzzer-beating 3-pointer that forced overtime in Kansas' 75-68 championship victory over Memphis, was drafted 34th by Minnesota. He was quickly traded to Miami, where he is expected to vie for the starting role at point guard after playing well during summer league. Chalmers played three seasons for the Jayhawks.

Arthur, also an early-entry candidate who played two years at Kansas, was a sympathetic figure on draft night. Roundly believed to have lottery-type talent, Arthur fell to the 27th spot after erroneous rumors of a health problem circulated throughout the league.

Then, after being selected by New Orleans, the 6-foot-9 forward was traded to Portland, then Houston, before finally settling in Memphis.

Kansas coach Bill Self stood by his former players Wednesday.

"We really don't know all the facts yet, and I certainly would never comment publicly on any personal matter concerning any player I have ever coached," Self said. "Beyond that, I can say that both Mario and Darrell were great to coach. They played a huge role in our success the past few years, in large part due to their unselfishness and the sacrifices they made for our program."

Chris Broussard is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine.