What are the possible implications for Shawn Kemp in the drive-by shooting case? Taking a look at potential legal ramifications of the incident

Shawn Kemp, from out of nowhere, grabbed media attention when reports surfaced that he was involved in a drive-by shooting. The former NBA player had an altercation with a yet unnamed man in the parking lot of the Tacoma Mall before allegedly firing shots.

The police received a few calls from people who witnessed the incident at about 2:00 PM. Just before the police arrived, Kemp supposedly threw his firearm into a bush before coming face-to-face with authorities.

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No one has been able to ascertain yet if the gun was where it was rumored to be and if Shawn Kemp owned it. He was booked into the Pierce County Jail while an investigation is conducted.

The drive-by shooting is categorized as a class B felony in Washington state. This means that the former six-time NBA All-Star, if convicted, could be in jail for up to 10 years and a fine of $20,000.

More worryingly, such crimes often go with assault in the first degree or murder.

There is, however, another angle in Kemp’s situation that could work in his favor. Here’s what Fox 13’s Davis Rose had to say about the headline-grabbing news:

“He had property stolen from his car on Tuesday, tracked his iPhone to Tacoma on Wednesday and when he approached the vehicle, a suspect shot at him. He fired back in self-defense.”

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There are different angles that the police will be looking at. They will also be doing a thorough investigation of what has happened, including calling witnesses. More information about the case/investigation could come out before the week is over.

Kemp was previously investigated by the police in 2005 for drug possession and another in 2006 due to the same issue.

Shawn Kemp helped make the Seattle SuperSonics a playoff powerhouse

Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp during the 1996 NBA Finals between the Seattle SuperSonics and Chicago Bulls. [photo: NBA.com]

The Seattle SuperSonics made Shawn Kemp the No. 17 pick of the 1989 NBA Draft. They missed the postseason in Kemp’s rookie year but got future Hall of Famer Gary Payton in the next draft.

Together, they made the Sonics a perennial playoff contender. In Kemp and Payton’s first playoff series, they took the Portland Trail Blazers to a do-or-die Game 5 before eventually losing.

In 1993, they dragged Charles Barkley’s Phoenix Suns to a winner-take-all Game 7. The Suns won the hotly-contested series but lost to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in the finals.

Three years later, Kemp and Payton emerged out of the bloodbath that was the Western Conference by beating the Utah Jazz. Their reward was a date with the historically-great 72-10 Bulls that featured Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman.

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Kemp retired following the 2002-03 season without winning an NBA title. During his prime, though, he was easily one of the best power forwards in the '90s together with Charles Barkley and Karl Malone.