One Great Season
Lance Stephenson, the one-time New York prep star nicknamed "Born Ready," was arrested here in Brooklyn for allegedly pushing his girlfriend down a flight of stairs over the weekend, according to multiple reports.
Stephenson pushed 21-year-old Jasmine Williams -- his girlfriend and mother of their 2-year-old daughter -- down the steps as he waited for her to return home Sunday at 5 a.m., the Associated Press reported. Stephenson yelled, "Are you kidding me?" before pushing her down the stairs, witnesses told the AP.
Stephenson, who had a decent freshman season at the University of Cincinnati last winter, was picked in the second round of the NBA Draft in June by the Indiana Pacers. The 19-year-old will be paid $700,000 this season.
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Williams alleges that as she lay hurt at the bottom of the staircase, Stephenson picked her head up and slammed it on the bottom step, according to court documents.
A friend of Williams told The New York Daily News that Stephenson was blowing up Williams' cell phone Saturday night, but the young woman wasn't picking up his calls. The friend also said it wasn't the first time the burly Stephenson, 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, had roughed up his girlfriend.
Stephenson told officers that Williams fell down the stairs on her own, and surely his attorney will defend his nouveau riche client in similar fashion, but a quick glance at Stephenson's background shows enough thuggery for a judge to know what kind of animal he's dealing with:
+ A 2008 arrest for sexually assaulting a fellow high school student. Stephenson pleaded guilty to a reduced charge.
+ A suspension from his high school team for fighting with a teammate.
+ Thinking he's good enough to contribute to an NBA team.
+ Fathering a child while still in high school.
That last note is hardly a criminal act, but when you add up all the ingredients, it's hard to see what exactly Stephenson was born ready to do.