JORDAN, MICHAEL
Michael Jordan filed a lawsuit Wednesday against a woman he contends is trying to extort $5 million from him to keep quiet about their relationship more than 10 years ago. Jordan acknowledged in the lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court that he paid the woman $250,000 ``under threat of publicly exposing that relationship.'' Jordan, who plays for the Washington Wizards but spent most of his career with the Chicago Bulls, never agreed to pay any amount above the original $250,000, the lawsuit says. The woman attempted to extort the additional money from Jordan through her attorneys, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit asks the court to stop the woman from further attempts to get money from Jordan. Jordan, who has been married for more than 12 years, refused to comment when asked about the lawsuit before the Wizards' preseason game in Detroit. Jordan's lawyer, Frederick Sperling, refused to say whether he asked the police to get involved. Juanita Jordan filed for divorce last January, but the Jordans withdrew the divorce case a month later and issued a statement saying they were trying to get back together.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news/ap/20021023/ap-wizards-jordanlawsuit.html

The woman accused of extortion by Michael Jordan responded with her own lawsuit Tuesday, saying he offered her $5 million to keep quiet about their relationship. Karla Knafel asked the court to force Jordan to pay her the money because he was in breach of contract. Jordan filed a lawsuit in October, contending he had a relationship with Knafel more than 10 years ago and paid her $250,000 "under threat of publicly exposing that relationship.'' Jordan's lawsuit said Knafel tried to extort another $5 million. On Tuesday, Knafel's lawyer, Michael Hannafan, said: "It was Jordan who initially offered to pay her $5 million in the spring of 1991 for her agreement not to file a public paternity proceeding and for keeping their sexual relationship publicly confidential.'' Knafel alleges she gave birth twice -- once to a stillborn child that was Jordan's offspring and a second time to a daughter who is not Jordan's child, sources told ESPN's Shelley Smith. That daughter is now 11 years old. Knafel's lawyer said his client and Jordan had a sexual relationship from 1989 to 1991 in Chicago, Indianapolis and Phoenix. Knafel discovered she was pregnant shortly after being with Jordan in November 1990, Hannafan said.

At that time, she believed the child was Jordan's, he said. Jordan then offered her $5 million to buy her silence about their relationship and about the child she thought was his, said Hannafan. He said Knafel is not today claiming the child is Jordan's. "I will tell you that the alleged claim of extortion by Michael Jordan and his lawyers is nothing but baloney,'' Hannafan added. Jordan's attorney, Frederick Sperling, said Tuesday that the basketball great authorized him "to state that the papers Karla Knafel filed with the court today are full of lies. Any allegation that Michael Jordan is the father of any of Karla Knafel's children is completely untrue.'' Knafel's counterclaim alleges she met Jordan after being introduced over the phone by NBA referee Eddie F. Rush, who was in Indianapolis for a Bulls game against the Pacers. Knafel claims she was singing at a hotel when Rush, who is still employed as an NBA referee, complimented her and they began talking about basketball. Later the referee called Jordan's hotel room and Jordan talked to Knafel. Knafel claims she declined an invitation to meet Jordan the next day because she had a headache, but that he continued calling her and eventually met her at a Chicago hotel in December 1989. Jordan had married his wife, Juanita, that September. She claims Jordan told her his marriage was a "business arrangement'' meant to help his public image. When Jordan was told by a Wizards spokesman that reporters wanted to ask him about the countersuit, Jordan declined to meet with the media after the Wizards' practice Tuesday. Jordan and his wife, Juanita, were married more than 12 years ago. She filed for divorce last January but since withdrew the case and issued a joint statement with her husband saying they were attempting reconciliation.
http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2002/1119/1463094.html

WALKER, DARRELL
The NBA yesterday put the finger on Darrell Walker for giving the finger to a rude fan. The Raptors head coach was fined $5,000 by league disciplinarian Rod Thorn for making an obscene gesture toward a fan after a game Wednesday in Salt Lake City. "That's a lot more than pocket change for me, but I understand," Walker said last night. Walker's faux pas may have gone unnoticed by anyone, but Delta Center patrons in the immediate vicinity had it not been captured by TV cameras and shown repeatedly on ESPN. Walker was fined $7,500 last season for his antics at the end of a game in Indianapolis.
http://www.canoe.ca/BasketballTorontoArchive/dec5_wal.html

WALLACE, RASHEED
1/03
Trail Blazers forward Rasheed Wallace was suspended Saturday for seven games without pay for confronting and threatening a referee outside the Rose Garden in Portland. Referees mentioned the confrontation in a routine report filed after Portland's 100-92 victory over Memphis on Wednesday night. ``He accosted a referee and threatened him,'' NBA senior vice president Stu Jackson said during a conference call Saturday. Jackson refused to elaborate on the confrontation, which happened after the game in the arena's loading dock, where players and other game personnel park their cars. Jackson said there was no physical contact between Wallace and referee Tim Donaghy.

``We strongly believe the penalty that we issued was appropriate for Rasheed's actions,'' Jackson said. Wallace can appeal the suspension. Wallace scored a season-high 38 points and had 10 rebounds against Memphis. Donaghy called a technical foul on him with 9:45 to go in the third quarter. The call appeared to be for the way Wallace returned the ball to another referee after he was called for a foul. Wallace led the league in technical fouls the past three seasons, breaking his own record by getting 41 in 2000-01. Jackson said Wallace's prior indiscretions were taken into account in determining his new punishment. Wallace was fined $15,000 last month for his actions following a post-game brawl between the Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. Wallace allegedly tried to go after a fan who threw a wad of chewing gum on him.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-trailblazers-wallacesuspended&prov=ap&type=lgns

11/02

Trail Blazers teammates Damon Stoudamire and Rasheed Wallace admitted to police they had been smoking marijuana before their vehicle was stopped last week, a Portland television station reported. Field sobriety tests showed Stoudamire and Wallace were under the influence of the drug, according to police records obtained by KGW-TV on Monday. The two players, along with Stoudamire's friend, Edward L. Smith, were cited for marijuana possession early Friday morning on the way back from a game at Seattle. Stoudamire and Wallace were passengers in the vehicle, which was stopped for speeding just after midnight Friday near Centralia, Wash., midway between Seattle and Portland. ``Stoudamire hesitantly admitted that marijuana had been smoked in the vehicle,'' said an incident report written by Sgt. Rob Huss. ``Wallace stated they had smoked one 'J' in the vehicle, meaning one joint or marijuana cigarette. Wallace said the marijuana had all been smoked and was gone.'' But Lewis County Assistant Prosecutor Jeremy Randolf said Wallace wasn't completely truthful in his answer to police. ``The question was, is there anymore (marijuana) left and they said, 'No, we smoked it all up,''' Randolf said. ``And unfortunately they obviously hadn't.'' KGW-TV reported that police documents detailing a search of Stoudamire's vehicle indicate officers found a small quantity of marijuana in the glove box, a burnt marijuana cigarette next to Stoudamire's seat, and a small tin with marijuana residue in front of Wallace's seat. The two apologized to teammates, family and fans during a Friday news conference but did not answer any questions. Under Washington state law, misdemeanor possession is punishable with a fine up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news/ap/20021126/ap-trailblazers-marijuana.html

11/02
Trail Blazers teammates Damon Stoudamire and Rasheed Wallace were cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession when the car they were in was stopped early Friday. Washington State Patrol Lt. Marty Butler said the players and the driver were ticketed just after midnight near Centralia, Wash., about midway between Seattle and Portland. It is the second time this year Stoudamire has been charged with marijuana possession. That case is still pending. Under Washington State law, misdemeanor possession is punishable with a fine up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail. Sgt. Rob Huss stopped the car for going 84 mph in a 70 mph zone, Butler said. ``The trooper got the strong smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle so he initiated an investigation,'' Washington State Patrol spokesman Garvin March said. The trooper requested assistance from local police, who sent a drug-sniffing dog to help search the vehicle, March said. Less than 40 grams of marijuana was found, making it a misdemeanor instead of a felony under Washington state law, he said.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news/ap/20021122/ap-trailblazers-marijuana.html

Rasheed Wallace of the Washington Bullets will get to wait a year before his case goes forward on charges he assaulted his girlfriend. Chiquita Bryant, Wallace's girlfriend and mother of his child, filed the charges over the Easter weekend. Durham District Attorney Jim Hardin said Wallace's arrangement with the court includes community service and 12 months' probation. Wallace, a former North Carolina star who just finished his rookie NBA season, will have to participate in a program that helps men change attitudes about domestic violence.
http://www.nando.net/newsroom/ap/bkb/1996/nba/was/feat/archive/050796/was40149.html

The attorney for basketball star Rasheed Wallace says a second assault charge against his client in the past two months is an attempt to frame Wallace. Wallace, a former North Carolina star now playing for the Washington Bullets, was charged with simple assault after he allegedly blocked Chiquita Bryant's car in at the day-care center Thursday and refused to let her leave. "It's another case of misunderstanding," James D. "Butch" Williams, Wallace's lawyer, said Friday. "Mr. Wallace was set up. This was not of his own doing. He was only trying to exercise his court-ordered visitation rights with his child. We intend to vigorously defend against this charge." If convicted of the charge, Wallace could face again an earlier assault charge filed in April of assaulting Bryant. Prosecution on that charge was deferred for a year after Wallace apologized in court and agreed to perform 50 hours of community service and to seek counseling for his anger.
http://web4.nando.net/newsroom/ap/bkb/1996/nba/was/feat/archive/062296/was13973.html

Rasheed Wallace had to be here anyway, so he figured he might as well play in the All-Star Game. You would think the NBA's biggest hothead would be able to chill out and enjoy his first All-Star experience. He was the only player selected from the Portland Trail Blazers, who merely have the best record in the league. But Wallace didn't seem to care. Trying to get a secondary musical career off the ground, he had plans to be in Oakland this weekend. It's hard to believe, but Wallace seems to care more about his future in music than his present All Star status. "I wasn't expecting it but it happened and you gotta live with it," Wallace said. "It's definitely nice to be here but my initial time to come down here was to do some stuff involving my music so I was coming down here anyway, so this is just an added addition." Wallace spent Friday's media session gulping down water, perhaps to stay cool. Many have joked that he will be the first player to get thrown out of an All Star Game and he fielded dozens of questions about his quick temper. Unlike his behavior on the court, he kept his head. "I thought it was gonna be worse than this," Wallace said. "This is not bad, actually. It'll probably be more horrible as the weekend goes on with more and more people." In contrast to his long reach, Wallace also has a short fuse that gets him into trouble. He has 21 technical fouls -- by far the most in the league -- and often appears to rage out of control. "I don't care. It doesn't bother me," Wallace said. "I do what I can to help my team win and that's the bottom line." Coach Mike Dunleavy and his teammates have trouble calming him down. "I hear what my teammates are saying but if I see something out there that I don't think is right I just let 'em (the referees) know," Wallace said. "Everyone must think that I'm cussing at 'em, callin' 'em names and this and that. I just come at 'em with logic and I guess that burns 'em up." He also said that one of the reasons that he seems not to care about his All Star status is that he is more concerned with winning a championship. Although he has blown his stack in the postseason, Wallace knows the Blazers cannot get past O'Neal and Duncan without him. "Come playoff time, that's when it all counts," he said. "I've never been thrown out of a playoff game and I never will get thrown out of a playoff game. A lot of things go on in the regular season that don't go on in the playoffs. I could get a million techs during the regular season."
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news/20000213/wallaceftr.html
4/00

Rasheed Wallace set the league record with his 33rd and 34th technical fouls of the year, and the Blazers are worried that he'll lose it during a playoff game.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/columns/20000410/mjcracksdownonstrickland.html
2/01

Portland forward Rasheed Wallace was suspended for two games without pay and fined $10,000 by the NBA on Friday for hitting an official with a towel Thursday night. Wallace was ejected with 8:56 left in Portland's 100-92 victory over Phoenix after receiving his league-leading 27th technical. Wallace charged official Gary Benson near midcourt and threw a towel that hit the referee in the face. Wallace repeatedly rushed at Benson and had to be held back by his coaches and teammates. The NBA also cited Wallace's failure to leave the court in a timely manner in announcing the suspension, which will begin Saturday with a road game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Portland coach Mike Dunleavy said Thursday night that there isn't much he can do to bring Wallace under control.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news/ap/20010202/ap-trailblazers-wallace-suspended.html
4/01

The Trail Blazers suspended All-Star forward Rasheed Wallace on Monday for one game for throwing a towel into the face of teammate Arvydas Sabonis during an argument in a loss to the Lakers a day earlier. Coach Mike Dunleavy said Wallace would be suspended for Tuesday's regular-season finale against San Antonio for ''conduct detrimental to the success of the team.'' It was the second time this season Wallace has been suspended by Dunleavy. It's the second time this month Wallace has been suspended by his team for surly on-court behavior. He also was suspended two games by the NBA in early February for throwing a towel that grazed the cheek of referee Gary Benson, who had ejected him. While Wallace's tantrums over officiating have become notorious, he never had publicly feuded with a teammate before Sunday. During the third quarter of a 105-100 loss to the Lakers, Sabonis was shoved out of the way by Shaquille O'Neal, who was going for a rebound. Sabonis, trying to draw a foul, flailed his arms, and his left hand smacked Wallace in the face. Wallace, who had his left eye blackened by Sabonis' elbow during another inadvertent hit at Golden State on April 6, doubled over. He yelled at Sabonis as the teams went to their benches for a time-out. Still furious, Wallace threw a small, white towel into Sabonis' face, then walked away.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news/ap/20010416/ap-trailblazers-wallacesuspended.html

WEBBER, CHRIS
Washington Wizards star forward Chris Webber, who was arrested Tuesday morning on misdemeanor assault and marijuana charges after a motor vehicle stop, met with NBA officials in New York Friday to discuss the incident. Webber's agent also told ESPN that Webber will not plea bargain. Webber made a public statement Thursday, in which he apologized. Webber was greeted with a loud mixture of cheers and boos when he was introduced at the start of Wednesday night's game against Portland. Webber was charged with assault, resisting arrest, possession of marijuana, driving under the influence of marijuana and five other traffic-related violations. All of the charges are misdemeanors. The most serious charge, assault, carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $2,500 fine. It is not yet clear if Webber has jeopardized his shoe contract with FILA. Webber's trouble began when he was stopped in his 1998 Lincoln Navigator, a sports utility vehicle, at about 9:30 a.m. on a four-lane highway in Landover, Md., on the way to a 10 a.m. practice at the MCI Center in downtown Washington. Police said a marked squad car tailing Webber had to go faster than the posted speed limit of 40 mph to keep up with his vehicle. According to the police report, Webber did not have a license or registration and offered his credit card as proof of identification. The report said Webber was "slow to answer" questions, and struck the hand of the policeman when the officer went to open the car door. The officer used pepper spray when Webber refused to get out of the vehicle. "The officer attempted to remove him," Prince George's County (Md.) Police spokesman Royce Holloway said. "He resisted, an assault occurred. The (pepper) spray was deployed to effect the arrest." Webber was handcuffed and taken to the District III police station. The car was impounded and searched, and officers found the stub of a marijuana cigarette and ashes in the front center ash tray. They also found traces of marijuana leaves, ashes, stems and seeds on the rear of the floorboard on the driver's side. Webber was released from custody on his own recognizance.
http://espn.go.com/nba/news/980121/00544421.html

There are no imminent plans to arrest Juwan Howard and Chris Webber, and police say they need more time to investigate the sexual assault complaint involving the Washington Wizards teammates. A Connecticut woman contends she was assaulted April 6 at Howard's suburban Maryland house during a party, attended by Howard and Webber.
http://cbs.sportsline.com/u/page/covers/basketball/apr98/wizards41498.htm

Chris Webber and Jason Williams of the Sacramento Kings will face charges they drove recklessly after a game against the San Antonio Spurs on April 11. They will be notified in three to four weeks, Deputy District Attorney Dave Delacey said Tuesday. The California Highway Patrol recommended that charges be filed. The highway patrol said Webber was cited and released by officers. Williams was in another car in the same area but drove away before he could be stopped. The minimum penalty for a misdemeanor reckless driving conviction is a $150 fine. The maximum is 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. ``If Sacramento troubles me about a ticket, they will lose a nice person in the community,'' Webber told the Sacramento Bee.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news/ap/20000503/ap-kings-charges.html
Legal problems mounted for Sacramento Kings basketball star Chris Webber on Friday as federal prosecutors added five counts to an indictment claiming he lied to a grand jury about cash and gifts he allegedly received while playing for the University of Michigan. In September, the 29-year-old NBA All-Star pleaded not guilty to a four-count indictment claiming he lied to a grand jury about accepting cash, checks, clothing and jewelry from University of Michigan booster Eddie Martin while playing for the college team from 1991-1993. Martin pleaded guilty last year to charges of conspiracy to launder financial instruments. He also testified that he gave Webber and three other University of Michigan players loans and gifts totaling $616,000. In a superseding indictment announced by the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan on Friday, Webber was charged with five additional counts stemming from his alleged lies to the grand jury. Each count of the indictment, which also charges the Kings forward with conspiracy to obstruct justice, carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Webber's father, Mayce Webber Jr., and his aunt, Charlene Johnson, also have been indicted in the case. A July 8 trial date has been set for Webber's case in a Detroit court.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030117/sp_nm/nba_webber_dc_1