What is the impact on the NBAs image?
Sadly, off-court transgressions for NBA players are seemingly commonplace. Just in the past few weeks, there have been numerous negative stories for the league to stomach: Portland’s Damon Stoudamire getting arrested for another marijuana possession; Orlando’s Darrell Armstrong being accused of assault against a police officer; Washington’s Jerry Stackhouse facing allegations of pushing a female real-estate agent; and Sacramento’s Chris Webber pleading guilty to a contempt charge in a federal perjury trial. It was also announced recently that Atlanta’s Glenn Robinson will be suspended for the first three games of next season after a May conviction on domestic assault charges from last summer. But this is different. This case involves Bryant, arguably the NBA’s most wholesome superstar. That’s why, as one official noted, the mood in the league office has been dark for two weeks, ever since the allegations against Bryant surfaced. Friday’s announcement that Bryant would be charged with f
