Quelle:
Hier
Francis faces legal nightmare in D.C.
ORLANDO - Maybe the only thing clear at this point about the bar brawl allegedly involving Orlando Magic guard Steve Francis is that the worst is yet to come.
A hearing for the 14-count civil suit filed against Francis and 12 unnamed others is scheduled for Sept. 16, and Francis will have to be present in Superior Court in Washington, D.C. It is then, said attorney Stephanie Moran of Watson and Moran, that a dollar amount will likely be affixed to the civil suit. Assuredly, it will seek millions of dollars in damages.
Another legal nightmare might be looming for Francis. A second civil suit could come in the next few weeks from Ahmad Muhammad, a participant in the brawl who has remained in intensive care for almost a week from injuries suffered in the fight.
The alleged scuffle took place last Sunday at approximately 6 a.m. where Francis was partying after the Mike Tyson-Kevin McBride boxing match. Akbar Muhammad of Essex County, N.J., and Nafis Muhammad-Baker of Landover, Md., are accusing Francis and 12 members of his party of beating them unconscious. They also claim Francis hit Muhammad over the head with a bottle.
The incident still is under investigation by D.C. police, and no charges have been filed. Francis has not spoken publicly about the incident, but his agent, Jeff Fried, tells a dramatically different story.
Fried said Francis was hurried out of the nightclub when a bottle was thrown at him, and that the star guard had no involvement in the fracas. Fried referred to it as "a shakedown of a high-profile athlete," saying the fact a civil suit was filed before the investigation was complete suggests this is nothing more than a cash grab.
Moran said the truth of Francis' participation in the fight will eventually come to light.
"If (Fried) wants to represent that (Francis) was not there, he better make sure that that is factual," Moran said. "We haven't heard from (Francis). All we have heard are the representations from his agent."
Pre-draft workout.
The Magic held a key workout Friday that could shed some light on just how they plan to use the 11th pick in the NBA Draft on June 28. The Magic had power forwards Sean May (North Carolina), Wayne Simien (Kansas) and Charlie Villanueva (Connecticut) on hand for workouts, testing and interviews.
Opinions vary on which player fared the best, but the Magic have made no secret of how much they like May. His stock soared following the NCAA Tournament when he guided UNC to the national championship and won the Most Outstanding Player honors. May helped himself at the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp, proving to be a better athlete than some suspected. His vertical leap was 33 inches and his foot speed was as good as or better than most other power forwards.
"To me, I always thought I was this good, but I guess I got to show it in the tournament," May said. "Playing at Carolina you get a lot of spotlight and you are on TV so much, but because you are surrounded with so many good players, sometimes it's hard to show what you can do. The success I had in the tournament helped me out. And I felt it was best to come out (of college) while I was hot."
If the Magic do draft a power Forward, it would most likely mean they will shift last year's top overall selection, Dwight Howard, to center. Howard bulked up from 240 to 262 pounds last season and has said he feels he can comfortably carry 275 as his body continues to mature. Doctors have told him that his growth plates suggest he will eventually grow to be 7-foot-1.
Quick hits.
Just four months ago, NBA commissioner David Stern and Players Association president Billy Hunter sat on a podium together at the All-Star Game and predicted a labor deal would be completed before the playoffs began. Well, the playoffs are almost done and if there is no deal in 11 days, another lockout will take effect. Fans ultimately won't care until games are missed, but the two sides have wasted valuable time by posturing over the past month. . . . The Cleveland Cavaliers refused to pick up the option on Robert Traylor last week, though he was coming off a solid season and due to make a relatively cheap $1.7 million. Clearly, the Cavs are positioning themselves to make a major run at snagging Michael Redd in free agency. The Cavs feel if they offer him a maximum deal, the Ohio native will choose a return to his home state over going back to Milwaukee. . . . Shaquille O'Neal has to notify the Miami Heat by Tuesday if he plans to opt out of his contract and become a free agent. O'Neal holds a $30.6 million option for next season but is seeking a long-term extension from the Heat.
