In the immediate aftermath of the release of the brutal details behind his arrest last Friday and an arraignment in Brighton Municipal Court on Thursday morning, Jabari Bird has announced that he will take an indefinite leave from the Boston Celtics.
“I’m taking some time away from the team as I deal with my legal and medical issues,” Bird said in the statement. “I apologize to my family, the Celtics organization, my teammates, the fans and the NBA for the unnecessary distraction that I have caused. The information that has been released does not tell the full story. I do not condone violence against women.
“I am hopeful that in due time and process, I will be able to regain everyone’s trust.”
Per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the incident involving the 24-year-old Bird, who is facing multiple charges for the incident and was reportedly on suicide watch during his hospital stay over the weekend, will be investigated by the NBA.
NBA spokesman on allegations surrounding Celtics' Jabari Bird: "The allegations are disturbing and we are conducting a full investigation of the matter. We have been in contact with local authorities since learning of the incident."
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 13, 2018
The Celtics, meanwhile, made a statement of their own following the latest developments.
“Most importantly, our thoughts are with the victim of this incident. The Celtics organization deplores domestic violence of any kind, and we are deeply disturbed by the allegations against Jabari Bird,” the Celtics said in a statement issued by the team early Thursday afternoon. “Pursuant to Domestic Violence Policy in the NBA’s labor agreement, matters of this kind are handled by the League Office, not the team, and so the Celtics will be working with both the league and local authorities to assist in their ongoing investigations. The team will have no further comment at this time.”
Bird, drafted in the second round in 2017, appeared in 13 games for the C’s last season, and averaged 3.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in 8:49 per game. A Summer League standout this past July, Bird recently signed a two-year contract, which featured a fully guaranteed contract for the 2018-19 season, with the Celtics to round out their NBA roster.