Tyreke Evans Dismissed and Disqualified From The NBA

The NBA has leveled a hard sentence on one of its players.

Today, in a press release from the NBA, Pacers guard Tyreke Evans has been dismissed and disqualified from the NBA for violating the league's anti-drug program. According to that announcement, he will be eligible for reinstatement after two years.

The Pacers said in a statement, "We take these matters seriously and will reach out to Tyreke to offer our support."

Evans was the fourth overall pick in the 2009 draft and spent 10 years playing for the Kings, Grizzlies, Pelicans, and Pacers. After signing a one-year contract with Indiana, he had a down year, averaging just 10.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 2.4 APG with a career-worst .389 FG% in 69 games (20.3 MPG).

The specifics surrounding the violations are unclear at this time, but he isn't the first player to be hit with a two-year ban. Back in 2016, the league dismissed former top-five pick O.J. Mayo. Reports suggested at that time that Mayo's violation was related to a "drug of abuse" rather than PEDs or marijuana.

Chris Andersen was also banned for two years from the NBA, from 2006 to 2008, with his dismissal also being linked to a "drug of abuse."

Evans was on track to be an unrestricted free agent til this summer and now will have to sit out til at least the 2021/22 season.

I wish I had a lot to say on this, but unfortunately I don't have a lot of words. I feel bad for Tyreke, for the circumstances he went through to get there, and I just hope that he can learn a lesson from this and get back into the NBA in two years. Even then, will he want to still play in the league? That's a lot of questions to be answered, and we'll have the next two years to find out what happens.

Wishing Tyreke the best and I hope he can get some help, if indeed this is a "drug of abuse."