Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY reports the NBA has sent Timberwolves rookie Shabazz Muhammad home from the league's Rookie Transition Program after bringing an unauthorized guest into his hotel room. Muhammad will also be fined for violating the program's policy.
Of all the transgressions that Muhammad could have done to get booted from the Rookie Transition Program, which included the Panini trading card photo shoot and a motivational speech from Chris Herron yesterday and will run through Friday, this seems to be the most inane. But, rules are rules.
In 2008, Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur were expelled from the program for bringing women and marijuana into their hotel room. Each was kicked out of the program and fined $20,000. Michael Beasley too was later discovered to have participated in the night's illicit activities and was fined $50,000.
Like Chalmers and Arthur, Muhammad will have to complete the Rookie Transition Program again next year with the 2014 rookies.
Muhammad already seems to be having a star-crossed career and this little bit of news is not going to change in the disappointment in Muhammad.
Before entering UCLA last year, Muhammad was considered the top prospect in this past NBA Draft. However, Muhammad struggled in his lone year in college, averaging 17.9 points per game. The number is certainly gaudy, but he did not look like a dominant player. And teams were not impressed with his reported me-first attitude — including an incident in which he walked off the court after a teammate made a game-winning basket.
His draft stock slipped and the Jazz made him the 14th pick in the Draft before trading him to Minnesota. In Summer League, Muhammad averaged 8.5 points per game on 36.5 percent shooting. It was not the strongest performance from the once highly regarded Draft prospect.
Not being able to follow a simple rule at the league's Rookie Transition Program will be another red flag to add to his file.
The easiest way to make everyone forget about this is to play well his rookie year and make an impact with a solid young core in Minneapolis.
