Atlanta Hawks' Thabo Sefolosha sues police in NY incident

Atlanta Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha filed a civil suit on Wednesday against five New York City police officers over an arrest last year that left him with a broken leg.

On April 8, 2015, Sefolosha was outside a Manhattan nightclub with Hawks teammate Pero Antic when officers claimed the two were interfering with a crime scene.

Police arrested Sefolosha, who sustained a broken fibula while being handcuffed, and Antic. A Manhattan jury found Sefolosha not guilty of all charges in October.

The 31-year-old Sefolosha, a 10-year NBA veteran, missed the rest of the regular season and the Hawks' playoff run to the conference finals due to the injury.

Sefolosha's lawsuit accuses the five arresting officers and the city of false arrest, excessive force, malicious prosecution and false imprisonment. Sefolosha's notice of claim, filed last year, sets $50 million as the ceiling he can be compensated for both material and punitive damages, according to ESPN.com.

Sefolosha was arrested and charged with obstructing governmental administration, refusing to clear the area of a crime scene, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct following an argument that resulted in the stabbing of then-Indiana Pacers forward Chris Copeland.

Sefolosha has played in 71 games for the Hawks this season, averaging 6.6 points and 4.5 rebounds.

Antic filed his own suit against the police officers and the city. Under Antic's notice of claim, $25 million was set as the maximum amount Antic can recover.

Antic was initially charged with disorderly conduct, obstructing governmental administration and second-degree harassment. Officials dropped the charges against Antic in September. Antic, a native of Macedonia, played two seasons with the Hawks before returning overseas to play in the Turkish Basketball League.