What did Rashid Byrd do? Reason for former NBA G-League player's 90-year prison term explored

Four years after he was arrested by the LAPD for sexual assault, Rashid Byrd was sentenced to 90 years in prison. The former NBA G League player was taken into custody as the police started to investigate him. Byrd couldn’t pay the $4.1 million bail so he remained locked up until he was convicted.

The investigation reportedly stunned the LAPD police. Byrd had been involved in “a series of violent sexual assaults that occurred in Los Angeles and Santa Clara Counties between 2015 and 2020.” Before the attacks in LA, he was also arrested in 2005 for the same reason and convicted in 2010 for a similar crime.

Rashid Byrd made himself eligible for the 2003 NBA Draft. He would have been in the same draft class as legends LeBron James and Dwyane Wade had a team taken a chance on him. While trying to get into the said league, Byrd tried his hand at acting.

Byrd was eventually cast as one of Will Ferrell’s teammates in “Semi-Pro.” The 7-foot-1 center was a natural as the “Flint Tropics” big man. From starring in commercials, he finally had a movie role. Investigators said that Byrd’s charm as an actor was one of the reasons he found it easy to lure victims. It didn’t hurt that he had the height and the label of a basketball prospect.

Before Rashid Byrd started filming the said movie, he signed a contract with the Sacramento Kings. He never played a game for them and it did not take long for the team to waive him. Byrd eventually found himself going to the LA D-Fenders and the Houston Rockets’ Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the G League from 2008-2009. He played 21 games and tallied 99 points in 299 minutes during his stint there.

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The LAPD rejoiced after Rashid Byrd was convicted

The multi-year investigation involved the police doing everything they could to get the victims of Rashid Byrd to come out. It was reportedly a tough task as some did not want the spotlight while a few were traumatized by what had happened to them.

Following Byrd’s conviction, the LAPD celebrated. Detective Dara Brown had this to say:

“The LAPD is grateful for the brave women who came forward to tell their stories. While this investigation has gone on for years, we are thankful that Byrd is no longer on the streets.”