Almost everyone has had some sort of negative experience involving getting cut or not making a sports team at school. It’s a horrible experience but nonetheless an opportunity to learn about hard work, resilience, and sticking to your goals. In fact, even Michael Jordan was once cut from his HS hoops team, only to return more dedicated before eventually molding himself into the G.O.A.T. and eventual worldwide hoops icon.
That’s the best case scenario. But one player at Fresno Pacific University decided to go in the totally opposite direction by going on a naked rampage filled with assaulting women, damaging property, and attempting to steal a police car.
Reportedly, the wild and raucous rendezvous was triggered when Leonard Brown, a recent transfer from Coppin State, was cut from the Fresno Pacific basketball team. Brown was supposed to be eligible at the start of the school’s second semester beginning in January but was released from the team due to an undisclosed violation of team rules.
Here’s an official release from the Fresno Bee:
“About 11:30 p.m. Monday, officers went to Chestnut and Butler avenues in southeast Fresno after getting reports of a naked man running in the street. Callers said he seemed intoxicated and was pounding his fists on cars. Young’s friends, who said they were members of the Fresno Pacific basketball team, told the officer that Young had been kicked off the team about an hour earlier. They said he “tore up” his apartment in the nearby Cypress Pointe complex, then ran naked into the street.
Witnesses at a gas station said Young assaulted two women in the parking lot, knocking one to the ground. Young also reportedly pounded his fists on the bullet-proof glass at the store and on several cars in the parking lot. As officer Brian Sturgeon was getting his dog, Jack, out of his police car, Young ran up to him. Sturgeon pushed Young back, but Young got in the front seat and put the car in drive.”
“Sturgeon and Young grappled, and Jack bit Young on his thigh. Young hit the dog as he tried to drive off. Sturgeon and Jack were only partially in the car as they tried to stop Young. Sturgeon managed to put a foot on the brake pedal, but Young drove the car at about 10 mph across the street. It came to a stop at the gas station.
Officers tried to pull Young from the car. Officer Zack Chastain shot his Taser at Young, but it had no effect. He tried twice more, but he could not slow Young. Young kept a strong grip on the steering wheel as Sturgeon and officer Theran Higginbotham tried to pull him from the car. Finally, a blow to Young’s wrist with a flashlight loosened his grip on the steering wheel, and he was pulled out of the car and handcuffed. No officers were injured, and Jack was unharmed.”
Thank goodness Jack wasn’t harmed. In all seriousness, Brown may have to do some serious time after being charged with carjacking, resisting arrest, vandalism, harming a police dog and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
One would have to think that Brown committed a major violation to be kicked off an NAIA team’s roster after nearly averaging double figures(9.8ppg) at a Division I school last season. Thankfully no one was seriously hurt and let’s hope Brown get’s the help he needs.
Check out news footage of Brown’s naked rampage:
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen has also provided content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, Cleveland.com, CSN Philly.com, Buckets Magazine, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
