MILWAUKEE -- Paul Mokeski and Jack Sikma of the Milwaukee Bucks and Dennis Johnson of the Boston Celtics Friday vehemently denounced a published report implicating them in a grand jury probe of drug use and gambling in the NBA.
Only hours before the Bucks and Celtics were to meet in the third game of their NBA playoff series, the three players held an impromptu news conference to deny allegations contained in a report published Friday by the Mesa (Ariz.) Tribune.
The newspaper quoted transcripts of testimony from a Maricopa County grand jury investigation in Phoenix which resulted in the indictment of five former and current Suns players on drug charges April 16. The Tribune did not detail how it obtained copies of the secret grand jury transcripts.
The newspaper said the transcript showed that former Suns player Johnny High and a current player, Walter Davis, had implicated current and former players on NBA teams from Boston, Seattle, Milwaukee, Kansas City and Phoenix as casual cocaine users.
Mokeski broke into tears as he spoke to reporters from a stage behind the court at the Mecca Auditorium shortly after the Bucks' morning practice.
'This is going to affect me mentally,' he said. 'My family is affected, there is no way I can get that back.'
Mokeski then walked off the stage. He later returned to complete his statement.
'I have two kids and a wife at home and they are very important to me. And what comes out in the paper is going to affect their lives.'
According to the report, Mokeski and Sikma met with a Phoenix nightclub manager, who placed bets on the Feb. 21 Milwaukee-Phoenix game shortly after their meeting. Milwaukee beat Phoenix 115-107 in that game.
The Tribune reported the transcripts said Jimmy Jordan, manager of Malarkey's nightclub, told his bartender he met with Mokeski and Sikma and gave Mokeski $100 worth of cocaine. Jordan did not specify whether it was in return for betting information.
The testimony about betting on the Milwaukee-Phoenix game came from Charles Keenan, a former bartender at Malarkey's who has been indicted twice on gambling charges. All three players denied they knew Keenen.
Keenan said Jordan met with Sikma and Mokeski in his office a day or two before the game and Jordan subsequently told him to bet on Milwaukee.
Mokeski and Sikma Friday both admitted being at the nightclub, but claimed nothing out of the ordinary took place.
'I was at that bar two nights before the game with Paul Mokeski, Bucks trainer Jeff Snedeker and a reporter for the (Milwaukee) Journal, Tom Enlund was there with us,' said Sikma. 'I was there probably for an hour, an hour and a half. I left there with no knowledge of anythingunusual or wrong going on.'
Mokeski said he had met Jordan during the off-season at a golf outing in Hawaii and that he went into Jordan's office to look over some pictures of the trip.
'I talked with him and he said to come over to the bar. We had a few drinks, but I did not say anything that can be construed as telling him to bet on the game.'
Milwaukee Coach Don Nelson said a review of the film from the Feb. 21 game showed a typical performance by his team.
High played for the Suns in the 1982-83 season. His testimony alleges he used cocaine on a casual basis with Johnson that season and with former Suns center Rich Kelley and former Seattle guard Freddie Brown.
'I think it's an embarrassment to me and the Boston Celtics organization,' Johnson said. 'As to Johnny High, I think everybody knows Johnny High's been in trouble, or gets wild or whatever, off and on.'
Johnson, Sikma and Mokeski were asked if they had ever used cocaine and each player denied using the drug in the past or present.
'They keep asking me about casual user,' said Johnson. 'I don't know what a casual user is. You are either using it or you are not.'
Phoenix rookie William Bedford, High and Davis, the Suns guard who has gone into drug rehabilitation for a second time, are believed to have received immunity in exchange for their testimony before the grand jury. Prosecutors have refused to confirm immunity was granted.
Indicted on drug charges with center James Edwards and Jordan were current Suns players Jay Humphries and Grant Gondrezick, former players Mike Bratz and Garfield Heard, the team photographer and two other Phoenix nightclub figures. Bedford's roommate, Kevin Meriweather, was indicted on a charge of obstructing the investigation. In a statement issued in New York, NBA Commissioner David Stern said, 'The NBA has no reasonable basis to believe that there is current drug use or gambling activity by any player named in recent newspaper articles, including the reports that appeared (Friday) morning in Arizona.
'Until the Maricopa County grand jury completes its investigation and issues formal charges or until any credible evidence emerges, the NBA does not plan to make any further comment on press speculation concerning the grand jury's proceedings.'
