Update (Sept. 14):
Boston Celtics guard Jabari Bird’s allegations have become clear to the public – and they aren’t pretty.
The following is from ESPN:
Boston Celtics guard Jabari Bird strangled a woman at least a dozen times over a four-hour period last Friday, prosecutors alleged at an arraignment hearing Thursday.
According to prosecutors, the woman told police that Bird strangled her and threw her against a wall after they got into an argument at Bird’s residence. She said Bird would strangle her until she went “limp,” allow her to catch her breath and begin choking her again.
She also said that Bird kicked her multiple times in the stomach and dragged her away from the door when she tried to leave, before shutting her into a bathroom.
The woman told police she was able to leave after Bird passed out with “seizure-like” symptoms.
Bird released the following statement (via Marc J. Spears of ESPN):
Statement from Celtics guard Jabari Bird: pic.twitter.com/jRkDyPfw4b
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) September 13, 2018
Original story follows:
After a rollercoaster rookie season that was largely spent in the G-League, Boston Celtics guard Jabari Bird finds himself in some serious legal trouble ahead of his sophomore campaign.
Police say Bird was arrested for what appears to be a domestic violence incident on Friday. Following from Fox News’ Kathleen Joyce:
Boston Celtics guard Jabari Bird was arrested on Friday and is facing charges after what authorities called a “domestic incident” in which he allegedly choked, assaulted and kidnapped an unidentified person, the Boston Police Department said.
Bird, 24, was being guarded by police at a hospital and was undergoing evaluation after the incident on Friday in the city’s Brighton neighborhood, police said on Saturday. The victim involved in the incident was brought to a different hospital to be treated for injuries sustained in the incident, police said.
“He is expected to appear in Brighton District Court on Monday, where complaints will be sought against him,” Sergeant John Boyle, a spokesman for the Boston Police Department, said.
Police said complaints would be sought against Bird for assault and battery, strangulation and kidnapping. No other details were immediately released.
The Celtics organization also released a statement on the second-year man’s recent arrest.
“We are aware of the incident involving Jabari Bird and are taking it very seriously. We are actively gathering information and will reserve further comment at this time,” the team said in a statement.
A second-round pick out of California, Jabari Bird had high expectations in the NBA after piecing together a solid four-year collegiate career. However, Bird played almost all of last season with the G-League’s Maine Red Claws, appearing in only 13 games for Boston in which he averaged 3 points per game.
Looking to earn some semblance of a role with the Celtics, getting into serious legal trouble as Bird has is not the path towards a promising NBA career.
