Seattle SuperSonics Legend Shawn Kemp was charged with assault in the first degree for an alleged drive-by shooting that occurred in March.
Kemp is accused of firing a gun after an altercation between the occupants of two cars in a Tacoma shopping mall. Nobody was injured.
The next day, he was released from jail in Washington.
A source close to Kemp said that Kemp claimed he was the victim of a car theft and acted in self-defense. Kemp says he tracked down his stolen iPhone at the Tacoma Mall. When he approached an approaching vehicle, a suspected shot at him and he responded in self-defense.
Scott Boatman told ESPN that Kemp’s lawyer will plead not guilty.
Kemp, 53 years old, played eight seasons for Seattle Thunder, which later moved to Oklahoma City and became known as the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Seattle lost to the Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan in the 1996 NBA Finals.
Kemp retired from the Orlando Magic after the 2002-03 season.
After being selected 17th in the 1989 NBA Draft, he averaged 14.6 rebounds and 14.6 points per game.
He then turned to business ownership. After the state legalized recreational marijuana, he opened two marijuana dispensaries around Seattle.
