Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton was briefly detained Tuesday at Lynden Pindling International Airport in the Bahamas over suspicion of possessing a small amount of marijuana, according to his attorney and two sources familiar with the matter.
Ayton, who is a native of the Bahamas, was initially reported by sources to have been arrested and detained after authorities allegedly discovered marijuana in luggage during an airport inspection. However, his lawyer, Devard Francis, disputed that characterization, telling Reuters that the NBA player was not formally arrested and was released after a short detention.
“The investigators saw that the actual very small amount of marijuana wasn’t in Deandre’s bag, but they still went through their investigations and he was released expeditiously,” Francis said. He added that the marijuana in question had been located in someone else’s bag.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the Lakers organization has not publicly addressed the incident.
Marijuana remains illegal in the Bahamas, although the archipelago has moved in recent years toward permitting cannabis for medical and religious purposes. Lawmakers have debated broader reforms, but recreational possession continues to carry potential criminal penalties.
Ayton, the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, signed a two-year contract with the Lakers last summer after previous stints with the Phoenix Suns and the Portland Trail Blazers. The 7-foot center has been a key addition to the Lakers’ frontcourt rotation this season.
The brief detention comes amid a period in which Ayton has been absent from team play. He missed his second consecutive game last Thursday, though the team has not indicated that his absence was related to the airport incident.
It remains unclear whether any further action will be taken by Bahamian authorities. For now, Ayton has been released and is not facing formal charges, according to his attorney.
Read the whole story from Reuters here.
