Bona fide druggies in the NBA

November 5, 2001 4:24 PM

Bona fide druggies in the NBA repeatedly gets caught not only breaking league rules, but the law. And like Lamar Odom, not much happens to these young men except they lose tens of thousands of dollars in fines. My question: why have a drug policy in the NBA if you're not going to do much to punish them - especially the super talented, good-looking, nice ones like Odom?
posted by tsarfan (10 comments total)

the drug policy in the NBA is there because the league wanted a drug policy, of course; the (lack of) effectiveness is in large part, i suspect, due to the player's union.
posted by moz at 5:00 PM on November 5, 2001

it doesn't benefit the league very much to have its players kept on the bench or show up in court. sure, the players' union fights tooth and nail against the policy, but the league doesn't really mind that its players aren't getting punished. The policy is there for those rare instances when it's in the league's interest to put the screws to a player.

The NBA is the dirtiest sports league this side of boxing.
posted by jpoulos at 7:05 PM on November 5, 2001

He averaged team highs of 17.2 points and 7.8 rebounds along with 5.2 assists last season.

Since they're already keeping track of team highs, maybe they need to start keeping some additional stats. At least it would make box scores more interesting.
posted by barkingmoose at 8:02 PM on November 5, 2001

This is just one example of why no one cares about the NBA anymore. They are all drug-using, juvenile thugs. And people are not going to pay $40 a game anymore to see them make $10's of millions straight out of high-school, while still acting like they live in the ghetto.

Not even Jordan can save this s(t)inking ship.
posted by eas98 at 11:15 AM on November 6, 2001

Let's be honest. Odom obviously isn't a "druggie" -- he smokes weed, as do many athletes, actors, directors, writers, bloggers, etc...

He failed a drug test for a drug that should probably be legal. There are frequent posts about legalizing marijuana on MetaFilter -- don't be hypocritical.
posted by uftheory at 11:40 AM on November 6, 2001

Bona fide druggies in the NBA...

But is he a suitor?
posted by GriffX at 12:03 PM on November 6, 2001

uftheory - if you have some info that i dont have, please let it be known. according to all the reports that i have read, no one has revealed what the drug(s) were in Odom's blood when he failed Two drug tests.

although some might have a hard time kicking their habits, i think a $10 salary, many more millions in endorsements, a career, and a life, would persuade me to put down that joint for a few years while I became a huge basketball star.

it is not hypocritical to be in favor of legalizing dope while calling a dope a dope. Odom is bright enough to know he's messing up big time.
posted by tsarfan at 1:03 PM on November 6, 2001

tsarfan, so anyone with a career and a "life" should decide to stop smoking weed for what reasons exactly? Why would smoking or drinking be ok but getting stoned is some kind of career and life killer?

it is not hypocritical to be in favor of legalizing dope while calling a dope a dope.

Yes it is, either is should be legalized because its relatively harmless or its a public safety hazard. Using an "its ok for some but not others" argument to knock basketball stars isn't terribly convincing.
posted by skallas at 1:26 PM on November 6, 2001

Skallas, I think the argument is more along the lines of: it's illegal, you know its illegal, so take a rest for a few years or smoke in the off-season only. Lamar Odem is not joinging NORML or trying to make a statement about the unfair drug laws in America. He just wants to get high-- so tsarfan is saying, chill for now, smoke later, and don't be a fool.
posted by cell divide at 1:30 PM on November 6, 2001

Here's some info from ESPN.com
posted by uftheory at 8:53 AM on November 7, 2001