Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 7, 1993 TAG: 9307070112
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAVID TEEL NEWPORT NEWS DAILY PRESS
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: Medium
Iverson, who will be a senior in the fall at Bethel High School, was one of 120 athletes selected for the Nike All-American Basketball Festival, which runs Tuesday through Saturday in Indianapolis. But on Friday, Iverson, considered by many the nation's top junior during the 1992-93 season, is scheduled to be tried in Hampton Circuit Court on three felony charges of malicious wounding by mob. The charges stem from a Feb. 14 chair-throwing brawl in a bowling alley.
To resolve the scheduling conflict, Nike has agreed to fly Iverson home from Indianapolis on Thursday night and back to Indianapolis for Saturday's Festival all-star game.
The all-star game will be televised, on tape, by ESPN on Aug. 2. Nike provides commercial round-trip air fare for all Festival participants, and Iverson and Bethel teammate Tony Rutland were scheduled to fly to Indianapolis on Monday.
Nike spokesman Dusty Kidd said he did not know how much the extra round-trip ticket would cost the company. He said Nike is not sending a message that basketball is more important than anything else. But Kidd said Nike officials believed Iverson was to appear in court only to give a deposition. Informed otherwise, Kidd said Nike still will fly Iverson home.
"That's just not right," said one college basketball coach who is contracted to outfit his team in Nike shoes.
Boo Williams, Iverson's summer-league coach, defended Nike, which sponsors Williams' teams.
"Nike operates a business, and this is a business decision," Williams said. "You wouldn't do this for a normal kid, but we're not talking about a normal kid. I don't think a kid getting into trouble for the first time should be penalized."
Iverson, 17, is one of two juveniles charged in connection with the brawl. Hampton Juvenile Court Judge Louis R. Lerner ruled that both will be tried as adults. Two adults also were charged. Malicious wounding by mob is punishable by five to 20 years in prison.
Colleen Killilea, Hampton assistant commonwealth's attorney, said she hopes to postpone Iverson's trial until July 16, so as to try all four defendants simultaneously.
Iverson's appearance at the Nike Festival is not critical to his basketball future. College recruiters, many of whom attend the Festival, already consider the 6-foot point guard a can't-miss star, if he meets NCAA academic standards. Iverson is considering 15 schools, but coaches at several have indicated a guilty verdict would prevent them from recruiting Iverson.
by CNB