NBA news: Keyon Dooling breaks silence on prison life after fraud conviction
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Former NBA journeyman and Utah Jazz assistant coach Keyon Dooling made headlines in 2022 when he was investigated and later arrested for welfare and benefits fraud. Over two years later, Dooling has served out his 18-month sentence and opened up about how the entire experience affected him.
“When you’re incarcerated, bro, you're on lockdown a lot,” Dooling told Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on the ‘ALL THE SMOKE’ podcast. “In my 10 months in there we were probably locked down for about three of those months. You can't go outside, the TV rooms might be locked, no commissary. It's a whole bunch of things that happen in that environment that most people don't know about, they don't understand. I understand it now that's why I want to be a voice for some reform.”
Dooling has been open about his lifelong struggles with mental health, stemming from his upbringing as a victim of sexual assault. The 44-year-old revealed the shocking feeling that overwhelmed him during his first few nights in prison.
“First night, I did not shower,” Dooling continued. “I didn't want to go to the restroom. I just really wanted to kind of sit there, but the bros in there wouldn't let that happen. They came and brought me a bag because we were locked down. They brought me some shoes, they brought me some commissary, they brought me some clothes and things like that. It's really humbling, brother.”
Dooling entered the league as the No. 10 overall pick of the 2000 NBA Draft. While his career did not pan out as many initially expected, he maintained a solid career as a reserve point guard for 13 years. Seven years after his retirement, Dooling returned to the league as a player development coach with the Jazz in 2020. His tenure with Utah lasted until his name arose upon the league’s investigation into the fraud scheme.
Keyon Dooling’s involvement in the NBA healthcare fraud scheme
The fraud scheme that took the league by storm involved more players than just Dooling. His incarceration coincided with that of former guard Alan Anderson, who received a 24-month sentence. Former lottery pick Terrence Williams, considered the leader of the plan, received the harshest punishment: a 10-year sentence in August 2023.
Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis, the most outspoken member of the group, received a 40-month sentence in May. Overall, over 20 players were caught in the scheme, most of them former NBA players. Davis claims that several others went unnoticed. Most of the players involved were career journeymen who played for multiple teams.
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