Former NBA guard Sebastian Telfair is asking President Donald Trump for a pardon before he reports to prison to serve a six-month sentence.
Telfair, who became a sensation at Abraham Lincoln High School in Coney Island before a decade-long NBA career, spoke to TMZ in New York about his situation.
He said the sentence stems from a paperwork issue tied to a healthcare fraud case in which he was previously sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release.
“Trump, go check in on my story and you’re definitely going to want to pardon me,” Telfair said. “You’ll hold me accountable and want me to continue to go do good. But I did too good to be sending anybody to jail.”
Telfair called the situation “super unfair” and said he was “mad” about having to spend time in federal prison. He also made a personal appeal to Trump.
“I know Donald Trump’s got some big things going on, but Donald Trump, I need you to come holla’ … give your boy a pardon so I could stay home with my baby,” he said.
Telfair was among a group of former NBA players charged in 2021 with attempting to defraud the league’s healthcare plan out of nearly $4 million. Prosecutors said he violated the terms of his release, leading to the new sentence issued this summer.
The former guard played 10 seasons in the NBA with Minnesota, Portland, Phoenix, Boston, the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City, Toronto and Cleveland after jumping straight from high school. He was drafted No. 13 overall by the Trail Blazers in 2004.
Telfair said he plans to write a book and is documenting his story while preparing to serve his sentence.
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