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NBA dismisses Tyreke Evans from league for drug violation

By Reuters

Saturday 18 May 2019 08:12, UK

Former Indiana guard Tyreke Evans
Image: Tyreke Evans has spent 10 years in the NBA

Tyreke Evans has been dismissed and disqualified from the NBA for violating the terms of the league's anti-drug program.

Evans, a 10-year NBA veteran who played last season for the Indiana Pacers and was set to become an unrestricted free agent, is eligible to apply for reinstatement in two years.

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The NBA, NBA teams, and the NBA Players Association are prohibited from publicly disclosing information regarding the testing or treatment of any NBA player under the Anti-Drug Program, other than to announce a player's suspension or dismissal from the league.

Based on the rules of the NBA's collective-bargaining agreement [CBA], Evans' ban must be for a "drug of abuse."

Tyreke Evans drives under pressure from Paul George
Image: Evans has had stints with Sacramento, New Orleans, Memphis and Indiana

Had the punishment been for a performance-enhancing substance, the drug found would have been announced.

The Pacers released a statement, saying, "The Indiana Pacers were informed on Friday by the NBA that Tyreke Evans has been dismissed from the league for a violation of the league's anti-drug policy.

"We take these matters seriously and will reach out to Tyreke to offer our support."

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The last player to be banned from the NBA for a violation of the drug policy was OJ Mayo in July 2016.

Evans, 29, averaged 10.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 20.3 minutes in 69 games last season, his first with the Pacers.

Evans, the fourth pick in the 2009 draft out of Memphis, averaged a career-best 20.1 points as a rookie with the Sacramento Kings.

The guard has played for the Kings [2009-13, 2017], the New Orleans Pelicans [2013-17], the Memphis Grizzlies [2017-18] and the Pacers.

He has a career average of 15.7 points.

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