Sebastian Telfair’s voice still carries the energy of the Coney Island courts where he made his name, but this week, his audience is far different. The former Lincoln High School star-and one-time NBA top draft pick-is aiming his plea straight at the White House.
On Tuesday, Telfair is set to report to federal prison for a six-month sentence tied to a health care fraud case. But in an impromptu street interview with TMZ, he made a public appeal to President Donald Trump, asking for a last-minute pardon to keep him home with his family.
“Trump, go check in on my story… you’re definitely going to want to pardon me,”Telfair said, insisting he’s being punished over a paperwork problem. “I did too good to be sending anybody to jail.”
A Brooklyn Legend’s Legal Trouble
Telfair’s case goes back to 2021, when he was one of nearly 20 former NBA players accused of scheming to defraud the league’s health and welfare plan of about $4 million. He initially avoided jail time, receiving credit for time served and three years of supervised release. But after allegedly failing to meet the terms of that deal-including missed community service and probation check-ins-a federal judge re-sentenced him to six months behind bars.
For Telfair, the new sentence hit hard. “It’s super unfair,” he told TMZ, saying the dispute was never about intentional wrongdoing but about mishandled paperwork. His main argument to Trump? That his track record off the court shows he can contribute more to his community outside of prison than in it.
Before the legal storm, Telfair was a rare breed in the basketball world-a high school guard who jumped straight to the NBA in 2004, drafted 13th overall. Over a decade, he suited up for Minnesota, Portland, Phoenix, Boston, Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, Toronto, and Cleveland. His quickness and flashy handle made him a fan favorite in Brooklyn long before he turned pro.
Now, instead of game-winning assists, his focus is on persuading one man-the most powerful man in the country-to give him a second chance. He says he’s already planning to write a book about his life, using his story as both a cautionary tale and a blueprint for redemption.
Trump has issued controversial pardons before, from political allies to celebrities, but granting clemency to an ex-NBA guard over a probation violation would be a different play entirely. Whether Telfair’s appeal gets a response remains to be seen.
For now, the countdown continues toward his surrender date. And in the streets of Brooklyn, the kid who once lit up the scoreboard is hoping for one last assist-this time from the Oval Office.
Read the full article here
