LOADINGERROR LOADINGLongtime NBA player Sebastian Telfair, who was scheduled to begin serving a prison sentence Tuesday, asked President Donald Trump for a pardon just hours before his incarceration.“I know Donald Trump’s got some big things going on, but Donald Trump, I need you to come holla’ … give your boy a pardon so I could stay home with my baby,” Telfair told TMZ on Monday.Advertisement
Telfair, a New York City high school phenom who played for eight NBA teams between 2004 and 2015 after being drafted in the first round, repeated his plea.“Trump, go check in on my story and you’re definitely going to want to pardon me. You’ll hold me accountable and want me to continue to go do good. But I did too good” to be sent to jail, he said.Sebastian Telfair of the Oklahoma City Thunder takes a shot against the Houston Rockets on November 16, 2014. Layne Murdoch Jr. via Getty ImagesAdvertisement
Telfair was among many NBA players who were charged with running up fake medical bills on the league’s health care plan to extract millions of ill-gotten dollars.He was originally sentenced to time served and supervised release for three years but was later given six months in the slammer for violating the terms of his release, the New York Post reported.According to Sportico, Telfair missed appointments with his probation officer, evaded his community service obligation, and was told by a judge that he did not pursue employment as ordered.Advertisement
Telfair attributed the problem to a paperwork mixup and said his situation was “super unfair.”Telfair, then a member of the Thunder, stares down a Detroit Pistons player in a 2014 game.Layne Murdoch via Getty ImagesHuffPost reached out to the White House for comment.20 Years OfFreeJournalismYour Support Fuels Our MissionYour Support Fuels Our MissionFor two decades, HuffPost has been fearless, unflinching, and relentless in pursuit of the truth. Support our mission to keep us around for the next 20 — we can't do this without you.We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.In 2019, Telfair was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison for gun possession. He was out on appeal days later; his conviction was eventually overturned and a new trial ordered.RelatedDonald Trumppardonsebastian telfairWatch NASCAR Winner's Celebration Take Frightening Turn In Freak AccidentMariano Rivera Shows Why Old-Timers' Game Can Be A Very Painful ExperienceU.S. Basketball Player Could Potentially Face Firing Squad After Arrest