P.J. Hairston punches prep school senior during pickup game in North Carolina
By Jack Crosby
Out of all the players that were selected in the 2014 NBA Draft last month, the one that has the most eyes on him is one of the young men that really never had a complete college career, former North Carolina Tar Heel P.J. Hairston, who hasn’t got off to the right start in regards to being a professional.
According to Marc Spears of Yahoo, Hairston was playing a pick up basketball game in North Carolina on Sunday when he got into an altercation that involved Hairston striking the high-schooler, albeit after the prep star threw the first punch at him.
Hairston punched Northern Durham High sr. forward Kentrell Barkley after the latter threw a punch first, Hairston's agent Juan Morrow said.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 7, 2014
Spears did go on to also note that the Charlotte Hornets, Hairston’s new home, are aware of the incident.
The Hornets are aware of rookie forward PJ Hairston's pickup game dust up at the Durham (N.C.) YMCA today, his agent Juan Morrow told Yahoo.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 7, 2014
This is bad news for anyone, but Hairston in particular whose actions at North Carolina ultimately ended up in his dismissal from the program.
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Hairston spent some time with the Texas Legends of the NBA Development League recently, and was selected by the Hornets in the first round of the Draft last month.
Let’s hope that whatever this is can be put behind him immediately, and he’ll have no further incidents such as this.