Thabo Sefolosha said police are responsible for the season-ending injury he suffered while being arrested in New York City last week.
The Hawks player addressed the media Tuesday for the first time since he and teammate Pero Antic were arrested and charged with three misdemeanors in the early morning hours last Wednesday outside a nightclub in the Chelsea district. Sefolosha suffered a fractured fibula and ligament damage in his right leg that will require surgery and force him to miss the remainder of the season, including the NBA playoffs which begin this weekend.
Sefolosha, wearing a walking boot and using crutches, read from a prepared statement and then took questions. He said on the advice of his lawyer he could not speak in detail about the case.
“I will simply say that I am in great pain, that I have suffered significant injury and those were caused by the police,” Sefolosha said.
Several bystander videos of the incident were obtained and posted by the website TMZ. In one, Sefolosha is shown being tackled to the ground by several officers and one appears to make a striking motion with a night club. When asked if that is how the injury occurred, Sefolosha said “I don’t want to go into details on anything but I think the video speaks for itself.” He would not say whether he asked for medical attention while in custody.
Antic mentioned the same video several times when he addressed the media last Friday.
Sefolosha has reportedly filed a complaint against the New York police department. He would not confirm that such a complaint had been made. ESPN reported Tuesday that the department’s Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating the arrests and would like to speak to Sefolosha.
Sefolosha and Antic released a joint statement following their release from custody and said they intend to contest the charges. They are due in court June. 18.
The incident occurred about 4 a.m. outside the club 1OAK. Police were on the scene after Pacers player Chris Copeland and two women were stabbed during a fight. According to the police report, officers were attempting to establish a crime scene when the two Hawks did not obey orders to move. Antic said last week, he and Sefolosha were not involved in that incident.
“I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to my family and friends, to the Hawks’ organization and, of course, my teammates,” Sefolosha said before taking questions. “This has been a difficult time for me and my family and we truly appreciate the support we have been receiving from everyone. I am extremely disappointed that I will not be able to join my teammates on the court during the playoffs and apologize to them for any distraction this incident has caused. I will be cheering for them, of course, every step of the way and will be diligent in my rehabilitation.”
Sefolosha said he will have surgery in the next couple of days. Following the procedure, there will be a timeline for the recovery process. Sefolosha, one of the Hawks’ top defenders, missed 23 games earlier this season with a right calf strain.
Sefolosha was asked about the public concern over when and where the incident occurred – hours after the Hawks played a game in Atlanta and hours before they were to play at the Nets.
“I totally understand and I understand the question,” Sefolosha said. “I am disappointed that I will miss the playoffs. I hate this feeling that I’m letting my teammates down. At the same time, I can’t speak too much on it. I just hate the bad look it gives on the team.”
The Hawks, no stranger to controversy this season, have already won a franchise-record 60 games and will be the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
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