Antoine Walker in Big Trouble

Antoine Walker in Big Trouble
Posted Jul 16, 2009 5:04PM By Matt Moore (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Celtics, Heat, Timberwolves, NBA Police Blotter
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It never ceases to amaze how professional athletes, many of whom signed multiple eight figure deals within a ten year span, continuously wind up with debt problems. I suppose it shouldn’t, considering the rampant debt that most Americans face, and the young age at which most athletes are burdened with bazillions of dollars. There’s something depressingly human about just how easily those with everything can turn their financial lives into disasters.

Of course, there are disasters, and then there are disasters.

Former Celtics star/Timberwolves-Heat-Grizzlies bench player Antoine Walker being escorted out of a Lake Tahoe casino in handcuffs a day after an arrest warrant was issued for him for writing bad checks … in casinos?

Yeah, that’s pretty bad. Or sad. Probably both.

An arrest warrant was issued on Tuesday for Walker after he allegedly wrote 10 bad checks totaling $1 million dollars to Caesar’s Palace, Planet Hollywood, and Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas. As of Wednesday, he had only repaid $187,500 bringing his total before legal fees to $850,000. The Las Vegas Sun additionally reports that Walker took out 10 markers using checks with insufficient funds between July 27th and January 19th of last year.

Today, at Harrah’s Casino in South Lake Tahoe, authorities led Walker out in handcuffs. He is in Douglas County Jail with bail set at $87,000. While no official connection has been made, it’s likely that Walker was in Tahoe for the Celebrity Golf tournament, featuring several players past and present that have been known to enjoy wagers of their own.

Even being among such company, you have to marvel at Walker, knowing he has an arrest warrant out for writing bad checks in casinos and still … going to a casino. Really? Really?

Walker’s case is just another long line of professional athletes that reflect a widespread issue in American life, even if it is easing for the average American. For professional athletes, the risk may be higher, though, considering the lifestyle and inexperience with financial management at a time when their bank accounts suddenly overflow. Ultimately, it’d seem there’s a reason the NBA holds yearly financial management meetings with teams.