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As we reported last week, former Portland Trail Blazers forward Zach Randolph was arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to sell in Los Angeles on August 9th. In a TMZ video posted Wednesday, Rasheed Wallace, a former Portland teammate, came to Randolph’s defense, saying “He ain’t no dope dealer.”
According to California law, having a large quantity of an illegal substance can escalate possession charges to “intent to sell.” At the time of his arrest, Randolph allegedly had two pounds of marijuana in a backpack. In 2010, Randolph was implicated in a drug bust in Indianapolis but was never charged.
When asked if he had a message for Randolph, Wallace said, “Keep your head up, man. Wait for the season to come around; play strong; be up.”
Wallace did acknowledge that if Randolph is found guilty he expects the league to do something. Any suspension would affect the Sacramento Kings, who signed Randolph to a two-year, $24 million contract this summer.
Wallace and Randolph played together in Portland for three seasons, beginning in 2001, Randolph’s rookie year.
Check out the full video here: