“JV is a good dude. True stand-up guy.”
That quote came from yours truly exactly four days ago. I had just been sent a tweet from the organizers of Bay Street Hoops—an annual charity basketball tournament that has raised nearly two and a half million dollars for Toronto-area children and youth charities since the first tip-off in 1995—informing me that Jonas Valanciunas had stopped by the event to take some pictures and lend his support to the cause.
I responded on Twitter with the above statement. And I stand by it. Valanciunas has a kind heart, an engaging personality, a big smile and a desire to win. But he screwed up on Monday and he now must face the consequences. Nobody can—or should—condone what unfolded in cottage country.
According to reports, Ontario Provincial Police responded to a call alleging that the 21-year-old had travelled through a drive-thru lane at a fast-food establishment in Wasaga Beach, Ont., with opened bottles of beer in clear sight. Officers were able to track down Valanciunas’s vehicle at a nearby home and he was subsequently charged with having greater than 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.
The sophomore centre is scheduled to appear in a Collingwood, Ont., courtroom on April 22.
Valanciunas issued a statement on Monday afternoon, taking responsibility for his actions.
“I hold myself to a high standard and take my role as a member of the Toronto Raptors very seriously. I apologize to the organization, my teammates, my family and my fans, and regret any negativity this incident has brought upon them,” he said.
Earlier today, Raptors GM Masai Ujiri told the media that while the organization supports Valanciunas at this time, they certainly do not condone what he did and they take his actions very seriously.
Ujiri added that Valanciunas met with—and apologized to—his teammates earlier this morning and sat down with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment president Tim Leiweke and MLSE chairman and part-owner Larry Tanenbaum as well. Valanciunas, according to Ujiri, feels like he let his teammates down.
When a mistake is made—no matter the level of severity—we often learn a great deal about a person by how they act and react following the transgression. Valanciunas, to his credit, appears to be taking this ordeal head-on. Granted, in today’s world of social media microscopes, it would be all but impossible to hide. But some praise should be given for a player who’s not burying his head in the sand.
I can’t claim to know what Valanciunas does when he leaves the confines of the basketball court. I’ve seen him in a few social settings and he has always carried himself with class and professionalism (he often goes out of his way—even prior to games—to shake my hand or greet me with a hello). And those who know the youngster far better than I do will often tell stories of how well Jonas was raised; he’s grounded and respectful and calm under the glare of the rock-star spotlight that he has lived under for most of his life.
But on Monday morning in Wasaga Beach, he screwed up immensely. Valanciunas’s reputation has surely taken a hit with some of his fans and he’ll have to work—for years maybe—to regain their trust and admiration.
“We were made aware this morning of the incident involving Jonas Valanciunas and are disappointed he has put himself in this situation,” said the Toronto Raptors in a team-issued statement. “We take this matter very seriously as we have the highest expectations for all members of our organization.”
Thankfully nobody was hurt in the incident but the damage was done nonetheless. This lapse in judgement could have had a far worse outcome. Valanciunas should consider himself lucky. But the ripple effects of his hasty decision may hurt the Raptors on the floor as well.
NBA history would suggest that Valanciunas could be facing a league-imposed suspension at some point. From Jason Kidd to Al Jefferson to Carmelo Anthony, examples of DUI and/or DWI charges have generally carried a two-game hit from the league office. In fact, I spoke with an NBA union rep on Monday night and he inferred that a two-game suspension was indeed the likely outcome. If that’s the case, Dwane Casey’s crew might lose a significant piece of the puzzle at the most crucial time of the year. Toronto currently sits third in the East and first overall in the Atlantic Division.
Ujiri said today that Valanciunas will, 100 percent, be playing for the Raptors tomorrow when Toronto hosts Philadelphia. So if a suspension is coming it won’t be starting on Wednesday.
“At this time we are continuing to gather information and we will comment further when appropriate,” said the Raptors’ statement.
