Atlanta Hawks’ forward Mike Scott may not be anywhere near a basketball court next season, as he faces a 25-year prison sentence stemming from two felony drug charges.
An initial court date for his case has not yet been set, but it will likely come during the upcoming NBA season. The date has been delayed at least several months because the drugs in question have been sent to an independent lab for processing.
Scott was arrested along with his younger brother during a routine traffic stop on July 30 in Homer, Ga. Police initially flagged him for pulling too close to another vehicle, but Scott reached speeds of 98 mph before finally pulling over two miles down the road. Police found 35.2 grams of marijuana and 10.9 grams of MDMA inside the vehicle, which Scott said all belonged to him.
After conducting a videotaped interview with police, he was released on $8,100 bond. TMZ posted a portion of the video in which Scott said that his brother had no knowledge of the drugs in the car. Police also confirmed that the charges against his brother would likely be dropped since Scott took full responsibility.
Georgia statutes call for the MDMA charge to carry a sentence of up to 15 years due to its Schedule I status, while the marijuana charge could add another 10 years. But since Scott doesn’t have a prior criminal record, it is unlikely that he will receive the maximum sentence in either case.
The Hawks issued a statement saying they were aware of his arrest and would not comment further while the investigation is still being conducted. However, it’s possible that the Hawks and the NBA could impose disciplinary action on him before a verdict is revealed.
Scott has not publicly commented on his arrest or impending court date.
