Charges dropped against ex-NBA guard Ben Gordon, arrested after juice shop disturbance

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STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — Multiple criminal charges were dropped Monday against former NBA guard Ben Gordon, who was arrested in 2023 after authorities say he began behaving erratically in a Connecticut juice shop.

Gordon, who also helped lead the University of Connecticut to the NCAA national championship in 2004, completed a probation program approved last year by a state judge. The weapons and threatening charges the basketball star had faced will now be erased from his record.

His lawyer, Darnell Crosland, said Gordon has been dedicated to making progress with his mental health issues since the arrest. Crosland credited the former player with teaching him about how to balance daily stresses of life.

“Mental health is really important and the court saw his commitment to doing the right thing in life and that is why they sealed his record and dismissed all of his charges,” he said in a statement. “I am blessed to have been his lawyer.”

Gordon was arrested at a Stamford juice shop on his 40th birthday, just hours after UConn won its fifth NCAA men’s basketball championship. Police said several 911 callers reported that Gordon was acting aggressively and bizarrely, and he continued to act erratically when officers arrived. Police forced him to the ground and handcuffed him outside the store.

Gordon has talked and written about his bipolar disorder and depression, which he said have played roles in several arrests over the years.

The third overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls, Gordon played 11 seasons in the league. As a rookie for the Bulls, he won the NBA’s Sixth Man Award. After five seasons in Chicago, he went on to play for Detroit, Charlotte and Orlando.