HOUSTON — Former Vancouver Grizzlies second-overall draft pick Steve Francis has been charged with felony retaliation after prosecutors say he threatened to assault a Houston-area deputy during a traffic stop.
Court records show the 39-year-old Francis also faces a misdemeanour driving while intoxicated charge stemming from the Saturday incident. Online jail records show he was released on $5,500 bond. He’s scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.
KHOU-TV reports Francis was pulled over in Harris County, Texas, for speeding. The station says a deputy smelled alcohol and Francis was belligerent. The report says more deputies were called to the scene and Francis was arrested. Authorities say no deputies were assaulted.
No attorney is listed for Francis in online court records.
Francis played for 11 seasons in the NBA, including seven in Houston. He was selected by the Grizzlies with the second overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft but didn’t want to play in Vancouver and was traded before his rookie season.
Header Photo Credit: Mark van Manen
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