The Denver Post ran a piece this morning about marijuana use in pro (and amateur) sports, as it relates to pending retail marijuana sales in Colorado (retail sales in Washington are on the horizon as well). It’s a good read, with interesting statements and facts about the history of various sports entities and their approach to handling the substance (e.g., the NHL is the only Big Four league that doesn’t include it on its banned substances list). However, if you’re not into reading the entire article, but do fancy yourself an amateur detective, the first two paragraphs are all you need:
It was the morning of a 2010 playoff game, and one of the Nuggets had just smoked some nuggets. As the team practiced, the player was so high that Rex Chapman, a team executive at the time, had to pull him aside to get him to focus.
“Across all walks of life and in every profession, people smoke (marijuana). This is no secret, and pro sports are not exempt,” said Chapman, who played 12 years in the NBA. “But employers deserve and pay for A-plus employees. There is a time and place for everything. As a member of a team, guys owe it to their teammates to put their best foot forward.”
Now, let’s head over to Basketball Reference and attempt to figure out which player Chapman was referring to…*clicks on 2009-10 roster, scrolls down to playoff roster, sees J.R. Smith’s name*…well, shit. Of course, we’re not saying it is J.R., but if you could only choose one name out of the twelve, and your life depended on it, you’re picking him, right?
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