UPDATE: PJ Hairston has a court date scheduled for August 8. The AP has the details:
Charlotte Hornets rookie and former North Carolina star guard P.J. Hairston has to appear in Durham County Court on misdemeanor charges of assault and battery following an altercation during a pickup basketball game.
Paul Sherwin, public information officer for the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, says Hairston was issued a summons on Monday but will not be arrested.
During a heated pickup game on Sunday in Durham, N.C., Charlotte Hornets rookie PJ Hairston allegedly punched a 17-year old high player twice. Not surprisingly, there’s conflicting info coming from both sides of the altercation. Per Yahoo!:
Hairston’s agent said that Hairston did hit Northern Durham High School senior Kentrell Barkley during the game at a YMCA – but said it was in retaliation to Barkley first punching Hairston.
“It was two kids in a gym who got into it during a pickup game,” said Hairston’s agent Juan Morrow, who tried to dismiss it as a “minor altercation.” “They’re trying to make it a big deal because it was P.J.”
Barkley, however, disputed Morrow’s interpretation of the altercation, saying that Hairston punched him while driving to the basket after they trash-talked during the game. Barkley said Hairston then punched him in the neck after approaching him following the first punch. Barkley said he didn’t hit Hairston and couldn’t retaliate because he was held back before Hairston quickly departed.
