Former basketball player Sebastian Telfair is asking President Donald Trump for a last-minute pardon before he starts serving a six-month prison sentence on Tuesday.
Telfair, who played at Abraham Lincoln High School in Coney Island and later in the NBA, reportedly did not fulfill the conditions of a plea deal tied to a medical fraud case involving him. He expressed his plea in an interview with TMZ.
“Trump, check out my story. You’re definitely going to want to forgive me,” he said during a street interview in New York. “You want me to be accountable, and I want to keep doing well.”
He described his legal circumstances as “ultra unfair” and admitted he felt angry about serving time in federal prison.
Telfair mentioned that a paperwork error had led him to this predicament.
Despite the situation, he urged Trump to consider his request, making a somewhat humorous remark about needing a pardon so others could stay home with their families.
Involved in a larger scheme with other former NBA players, Telfair was reportedly part of efforts to exploit the league’s healthcare plans, which amounted to nearly $4 million in 2021.
Initially placed under supervised release for three years, he now faces imprisonment for not adhering to the terms set for his release.
Telfair is looking at writing a book to share his experiences as he tries to find a silver lining in his challenges.
He played in the NBA for ten seasons, with stints on teams like Minnesota, Portland, Phoenix, and others, eventually being drafted 13th overall by the Timberwolves in 2004—making him one of the few guards to jump directly from high school to the league.
