What is Shawn Kemp charged for? Looking at his ‘parking lot’ incident which led to his arrest

Former All-Star forward for the Seattle SuperSonics Shawn Kemp has been charged with first-degree assault. The charges come from an incident that took place in March that caused him to fire a handgun in a parking lot in Tacoma mall.

Expand Tweet

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Kemp's lawyer, Scott Boatman, will enter a plea of not guilty. Woj also included in his report that Kemp defended his actions by stating it was in an act of self defense. The six-time All-Star also stated that he was trying to recover alleged stolen property.

Kemp has long been retired from the NBA. He played his last full season with the Cleveland Cavaliers back in the 2002-03 season. The Reign Man finished his career with six All-Star selections and three All-NBA selections. Kemp averaged 14.6 points, 8.4 reounds and 1.6 assists in 14 seasons.

You might also be interested in reading this: Has Shawn Kemp been arrested before? Shedding light on NBA legend’s multiple arrests

Shawn Kemp was arrested for assault case earlier this year

Earlier in March, Shawn Kemp was arrested by the Tacoma Police Department for a drive-by incident. Authorities stated that Kemp was involved in an altercation between people from different vehicles. The shooting took place in the afternoon and shots were fired.

Woj reported that no one was hurt or injured after the shootout. Police found a handgun at the location of the shootout, which led them to Kemp. Due to the shootout, he was arrested and charges of assault soon followed suit.

"He had property stolen from his car yesterday, tracked his iPhone to Tacoma today and when he approached the vehicle, a suspect shot at him. He fired back in self-defense."

Expand Tweet

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

How good was Shawn Kemp?

Back in the 1990's the Sonics were one of the top teams in the NBA, thanks to the plays of Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton. Together, they formed a duo that was for the ages. While Payton orchestrated the entire offense of the squad, Kemp threw the hammer down on everyone that stood in his way.

The 6-foot-10 is known for his best years with the Sonics. He spent eight seasons with the team and played five All-Star seasons with the team. Kemp averaged 16.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists for Seattle, and even helped the team reach the NBA finals back in 1996.

In retrospect, Kemp was the perfect co-star for Payton. A high-motor big man who wasn't afraid to attack the rim at all costs and make an impact with his interior game.