Paul George is in hot water.
The 76ers star was suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
George blamed the positive test on an “improper medication.”
“Over the past few years, I’ve discussed the importance of mental health, and in the course of recently seeking treatment for an issue of my own, I made the mistake of taking an improper medication,” George said in a statement, per Charania. “I take full responsibility for my actions and apologize to the Sixers organization, my teammates and the Philly fans for my poor decision making during this process.
“I am focused on using this time to make sure that my mind and body are in the best condition to help the team when I return.”
The oft-injured George has appeared in 27 games this season, averaging 16 points in 30.5 minutes per contest.
The nine-time All-Star missed the Sixers’ first 12 games of the season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee over the summer.
Last season, his first in Philadelphia after signing a four-year, $212 million deal with the franchise two summers ago, George played in just 41 games as he dealt with various injuries.
Since the 2019-20 season, when he joined forces with Kawhi Leonard on the Clippers in Los Angeles, George has played in more than 56 games in a season just once.
The suspension is a major blow for the 76ers, who are currently the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference at 26-21.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
