Keon Clark

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Keon Clark
Position	Center-Forward
Height	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Weight	221 lb (100 kg)
Born	April 16, 1975 (1975-04-16) (age 33) Danville, Illinois
Nationality	USA
College	UNLV
Draft	13th overall, 1998 Orlando Magic
Pro career	1998–2004
Former teams	Denver Nuggets (1998–2001) Toronto Raptors (2001–2002) Sacramento Kings (2002–2003) Utah Jazz (2003-04) Phoenix Suns (2004)

Arian Keon Clark (born April 16, 1975 in Danville, Illinois) is a former American National Basketball Association player.

After a collegiate career at two different junior colleges and UNLV, Clark was selected 13th overall by the Orlando Magic in the 1998 NBA Draft but was traded to the Denver Nuggets. He began his professional career with Denver where he enjoyed a stable first three years in the NBA, improving steadily. Clark would go on to play for the Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, and Utah Jazz. With the Jazz, he only played two games before being traded to the Phoenix Suns for whom he never played a game.

His off-court issues ultimately led to his release from the Suns and exile from the league. During his stay in the league, Clark was known for his excellent jumping ability, (he was said to have had a 40 inch vertical jump) and his unusually skinny legs.^[1] In 2002, he was cited for marijuana possession for having about a gram of marijuana in his car. He was cited in 2000 for a similar offense.^[2]

In 2002, Clark posted averages of 11.3 points and 1.51 blocks per game, while also finishing ninth in the NBA in total personal fouls.

He holds career averages of 8.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.62 blocks per game.

[edit] Personal life

As of 2005, Clark was residing in his hometown of Danville, and his off-court issues remained a factor in day-to-day life.

In 2003, Clark was ordered to pay $8,500 per month in child support to his long-time girlfriend, Jamie Hall (Hall v. Clark (In re Keon C.), 344 Ill. App. 3d 1137)

Clark was scheduled for jury trial on August 14, 2006 in Vermilion County, Illinois on: 1 Count of Possession of Cannabis, C misdemeanor; 2 counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Class 4 Felony; and 2 counts of Possession of a Firearm without a valid FOID, class 3 felony.^[3]

In addition to these legal woes, Clark was recently in trouble for driving on a suspended license, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and DUI.^[4]^[5]

On September 20, 2007, he was sentenced in absentia in Champaign County to 30 months in prison for driving on a suspended license. He was not present at the sentencing, and an arrest warrant was issued for him.^[6] On October 11, 2007, he was sentenced to 30 months of prison in Vermillion County Circuit Court on a different charge, for not having a firearm owner's identification card and for possessing drugs.^[7] The State's Attorney office wants the sentences to be served consecutively.^[8] He was arrested on October 18, 2007 in Splendora, Texas by the US Marshals.^[9] The prison term for his Vermillion County conviction was thrown out and new sentencing hearing was scheduled in December 2007. During the hearing, Clark has said he is an alcoholic and "never played in an NBA game sober", drinking alcohol at halftime break of games. He also claimed he was getting help for his alcoholism in rehab in Texas.^[10] On December 29, 2007 he started serving his Champaign County sentence, and his Vermillion County trial has been scheduled for March 2008.^[11] He was found guilty on the Vermillion County charge in May 2008 and can receive an extra year in jail. He still faces other charges, including disorderly conduct for filing a false police report in January 2007; criminal damage to property over $300 in September; and three counts of aggravated driving after suspension stemming from two incidents in March 2007 and one in July.^[12]