Back in 1891, when the game of basketball was first introduced by James Naismith, it was only a drill in the physical exercises of a training school, confined to gym class. The game rapidly spread across the USA and Canada and through years of evolution, we finally have the game today under the glamour lights in packed arenas.
Over time, basketball has become a way of life and a ray of hope for many with dark surroundings, giving them a way out. But sometimes life doesn’t play fair and an intentional foul play flings the life of a budding NBA aspirant to a place with no point of return. One such example is the main character of this story, Rashid Byrd.
Why Rashid Byrd received 90-year prison sentence?
There are many names that could not make it to the NBA after getting drifted into the world of crime, one such name is Rashid Byrd, whose crimes will send chills down the spine.
Byrd married his college-time sweetheart, Tasha and had two children with her. It sounds magical; however, it was just the opposite. He was not only unfaithful but also an abusive husband.
Actor And NBA Player Rashid Byrd Gets 90 Years To Life https://t.co/mVz7ZxzvN7
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) March 2, 2024
It all started in 2005, when Byrd was taken into custody for sexually assaulting a woman in “The Evergreen State,” Washington. Five years later, he was again imprisoned for the same act but with another victim. Even after serving two years in prison for his act in 2010, Byrd did not learn his lesson and he came into public eyes when a woman, raped by him, filed a report in 2019.
After an investigation, Byrd got arrested the following year by the LA cops for the multiple sexual assaults that he had committed between 2015 and 2020 in different states. He has also been associated with a series of rape cases that have not been solved yet. He allegedly uses his celebrity image to tempt the victims and force them into sexual acts.
On failing to pay the bail money, $4.1 million, he was kept in prison for roughly four years until the trial. Although he pleaded not guilty in his trial this year, justice was served when he was sentenced to 90 years in prison for the series of sexual crimes he had committed.
How did Rashid Byrd’s NBA and movie career go?
Born in 1981 to a low-income locality in Long Island, Byrd struggled his way to basketball and excelled in it. The 7-footer did grab the attention of the college scouts for his marvellous skills but failed to get selected in the 2003 NBA draft.
Despite the setback, Byrd did not give up on his basketball dream and took on a journeyman approach. He went to Europe to play for ASVEL Basket, BC Kyiv and KK Zadar in France, Ukraine and Croatia, respectively. He also played 22 games as part of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and LA D-Fenders in the G League, averaging 4.5 points and 3.6 rebounds in the 2008–09 season after uninspiring spells with the Sacramento Kings and NY Knicks.
Rashid also tried his luck in movies and landed the role of a basketball player in two movies. The 2008 movie “Semi-Pro” is where he kicked off his movie career alongside famous American actors Will Ferrell and Woody Harrelson. His other movie was “Bring your ‘A’ Game” in 2009, starring Ice Cube, Mario Van Peebles, and Sean Combs, among other notable names. The following year, he was seen in another movie, “Lottery Ticket,” in a cameo role that concluded his film career.
While Byrd joins the NBA names who spent time behind bars, it is certain that people will not be seeing him anytime soon.
