A former NBA Phoenix Suns guard Rex Chapman was accused of shoplifting more than $14,000 worth of Apple products in a store at Scottsdale, Arizona which he sold to a pawnshop. The 46-year-old Chapman was took into custody Friday afternoon but was released Saturday afternoon, based on reports.
Scottsdale police said that the former NBA basketball player stole items from the store on seven separate occasions over the past several weeks. It was said by store employees that he made it appeared he was using the self-checkout system via iPhone app but that he would leave the retail shop without paying the items.
Sgt. Mark Clark said store managers reported in August the thefts to the police. Many store employees recognized Chapman because of "his previous celebrity status as an NBA basketball player".
The former NBA player was charged on nine counts of organized retail theft and five counts of trafficking in stolen property, as published on USA Today.
Rex Chapman, or Rex Everett Chapman, was a former Kentucky star and a first-round draft pick of Charlotte Hornets, 8th overall, in 1988 NBA Draft. He played for four NBA teams, Charlotte, Washington, Miami, and Phoenix, in his 12-year career stint in the professional basketball league.
He started receiving $675,000 annual salary on his first year in the NBA from Charlotte Hornets in 1988-1989.
Chapman was known as The Boy Wonder, playing as both point and shooting guards with a total career points of 9,731 (14.6 ppg), 1,645 rebounds (2.5 rpg), and 1,798 assists (2.7 apg) based on BasketballReference.com statistics. During his first year, he averaged 16.9 point per game in his first season as Charlotte player.
Currently, based on public records, the former Suns player either owns or rents a residence in Kierland Commons neighboring development.
