Lee Nailon: Multiple Offender 

Lee Nailon is a basketball player who is currently floundering in the Israeli leagues.  Unable to play in the NBA anymore, Nailon bought his ticket out by constant bad behavior and a reputation as a trouble maker on and off the court.  His time in the NBA was brief and full of reckless behavior and bad attitude.

He wasn’t always banished to the overseas leagues.  He started his career in 1999 as a second round draft pick for the Charlotte Hornets.  He stuck with the Hornets in both locations for the team: Charlotte and New Orleans. Over the years he was traded frequently. He has played with the Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Nailon had attitude problems on and off the court, but his first legal trouble happened right after he was signed by the Hornets.  He was busted by police during a routine raid. The police had arrived at the hotel to raid another room based on phoned in complaints, and smelled marijuana coming from Nailon’s door.  They ended up busting he and a friend when they tried to run by jumping out of the hotel window and hopping in Nailon’s car. Nailon was released after posting bond and the charges were eventually dismissed.

Later in his career he was arrested again, this time for domestic assault while he was with the Philadelphia 76ers.  This happened in 2006.  Oddly, he made a taped appearance at the game that night, welcoming the crowd, even though he was actually in jail and no where near the game.  The resulting sentence is still pending.

It was the domestic assault, coupled with drug use, attitude problems and reckless behavior that got him dropped from the NBA.  Banishment to the European and D Leagues is a common punishment for repeat offenders in the NBA.  Common wisdom says that once a player is shuffled off to the overseas leagues he won’t be seeing his NBA career get back on track again.