INDIANAPOLIS — Pacers rookie guard Kam Jones issued an apology after practice Tuesday for the actions leading ot his arrest on preliminary charges of reckless driving and resisting law enforcement Monday morning.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Jones “insisted” on apologizing to the team and also wanted an opportunity to make a public apology, which he gave in front of cameras during the Pacers’ regularly-scheduled post-practice media session.
“I’m deeply sorry to the Pacers organization and the fans,” Jones said. “This was a very, very traumatic experience for me. I’ve never been through anything like this, but definitely a mistake that I’ve learned from. … It won’t happen again. I’m deeply sorry to the organization and I’m looking forward to letting this one go past and get back to work.”
Pacers rookie guard Kam Jones issues an apology for his arrest
Pacers rookie guard Kam Jones apologized to the Pacers’ organization and fanbase for his arrest on preliminary charges including reckless driving
According to the probable cause affidavit, an Indiana State Police trooper paced Jones’ black Cadillac driving 90 miles per hour in a 50 miles per hour zone driving westbound on Interstate 70 on Monday morning at 9:47 a.m. and rapidly changing lanes without signaling and following other cars too closely. According to the affidavit, Jones did not immediately pull over when the trooper activated his lights and sirens, instead exiting onto I-65 South and then taking the Fletcher Avenue exit before pulling over. According to the affidavit, Jones was compliant once he was pulled over and told officers that he was late trying to get to the Pacers‘ practice facility at the Ascension St. Vincent Center.
Jones was taken into Marion County Jail and held until approximately 3 p.m. Monday. He has not yet been formally charged by the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, but he has a court appearance set for 9 a.m.. Thursday according to the Marion County Jail portal.
Carlisle said in a radio interview on Tuesday morning that Jones was “very contrite” about the incident, that Jones is a man of “exemplary character” and that he expects “in the end, this is going to end up being a speeding ticket.” Carlisle reiterated some of those thoughts before Jones spoke Tuesday.
“My feeling is that this is going to turn out to be a speeding ticket and probably not much more,” Carlisle said. “The kid thought he was going to be late to practice so he was going too fast. I’m not going to get into much more about it than that. He insisted on apologizing to the team today.”
The Pacers did not actually hold a formal practice Monday but Jones, who has been dealing with a back ailment that kept him out of all of preseason practice, needed to be at the Ascension St. Vincent facility across Delaware Street from Gainbridge Fieldhouse for treatment and rehab work.
The Pacers took Jones with the No. 38 pick in the June draft after acquiring it in a trade with the Spurs with hopes of adding backcourt depth following the Achilles tendon tear suffered by All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton in Game 7 of the Pacers’ NBA Finals loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Jones was named a second-team All-American last season at Marquette, In four years with the Golden Eagles he rose to the No. 2 spot on the school’s list of all-time scorers behind only Markus Howard.
Carlisle said Jones will be out until at least Nov. 9 and his injury has left the Pacers scrambling for backcourt depth.
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