Jordan Hill, a power forward the Los Angeles Lakers acquired from the Houston Rockets about halfway through the season, has been charged with felony assault stemming from an alleged altercation in February.
According to police, Hill faces accusations that he pushed and choked 28-year old Darlene Luna, his girlfriend of two years, on the afternoon of February 29.
If convicted of the third-degree felony, Hill would face a sentence of two to 10 years in jail, along with a $10,00 fine. He will have to face the charge inside a Houston tomorrow morning, while the team is scheduled to play its second game of the playoffs tomorrow evening.
But Hill practiced with the Lakers today and faced the media afterward. He released a statement that said he’d remain focused on Los Angeles’ drive to a title.
“I’m saddened to learn of the accusations that were filed against me today. At this time I cannot comment further other than to say that my attorneys are working to gather all of the facts and evidence and I plan to cooperate completely with the authorities.
“I’d like to apologize to the Lakers organization and to all of their fans for the untimeliness of these accusations. I promise to keep my focus and attention on the playoffs during this time and to helping my team win another championship.”
Hill had a very strong opening game in the Lakers defeat of the Nuggets on Sunday, pulling down 10 rebounds to go with 10 points.