Report: Daniel Gibson turns self into New Orleans police on second-degree battery charge
Guard Daniel Gibson, an unrestricted free agent after seven years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, reportedly turned himself into New Orleans police on Monday to face a charge of second-degree battery in connection with an incident at a music festival earlier this month.
From WDSU in New Orleans:
Daniel Gibson, 27, surrendered himself at the New Orleans Police Department's 8th District headquarters in the French Quarter. He was processed at Orleans Parish Prison a short time later and posted bond for his release before noon.
Details on the incident that led to the charge were not immediately available, but state law defines second degree battery as an assault in which the offender "intentionally inflicts serious bodily injury" on another person.
Sources told WDSU the incident took place during this year's Essence Festival, held earlier this month. When contacted by WDSU, Gibson's attorney, Ike Spears, declined comment.
Gibson attended the Essence Festival with his wife, R&B singer Keyshia Cole, who performed at the concert series. After his release and after news of the charges began to circulate, Gibson issued a statement about the situation to TMZ:
"Earlier this month during the Essence Music Festival, I was involved in an incident with other individuals while I was out with my wife."
He continues, "It's unfortunate that some see opportunity in taking advantage of people who work hard for what they have achieved."
Gibson says he takes pride in being a role model for his son and other kids who look up to him — and adds, "Once all the facts of the incident come out, I expect to be fully vindicated."
The 27-year-old guard, perhaps better known by NBA fans by his nickname "Boobie," has spent his entire seven-year NBA career with the Cavaliers, joining the team as a second-round pick out of Texas in the 2006 draft and earning a spot as a reserve backcourt contributor on the 2006-07 Cleveland team. He exploded in the Eastern Conference finals against the Detroit Pistons, scoring 21 points off the bench in a Game 4 win and turning in a monster Game 6 that saw him score 31 points on 7 for 9 shooting, including a perfect 5-for-5 mark from 3-point range, to go with six rebounds in helping push the Cavs to the NBA finals, where they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. That 31 points remains Gibson's career high.
Gibson has battled injuries over the past few seasons, missing time with ankle, shoulder, neck, foot and elbow issues. He's never played more than 75 games in a season, and has missed 67 out of a possible 148 games over the past two seasons. Thanks in part to persistent problems with both elbows, Gibson shot career lows from the field (34 percent) and beyond the 3-point line (34.4 percent) last season, which was the final year of a five-year, $21 million contract he signed back in July 2008.
A spokesman for the Cavaliers told Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer that the team wouldn't have any comment on the matter.
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