NBA Player Jabari Bird Arrested, Hospitalized After Alleged Assault

NBA player Jabari Bird has been arrested and hospitalized following a reported domestic dispute over the weekend.

Bird, a guard for the Boston Celtics, is alleged to have assaulted, strangled, and kidnapped an unnamed person, ESPN reports, citing Boston police. He was later taken to the hospital, where he was being “guarded by the Boston police” for evaluation, according to authorities. Bird’s alleged victim was taken to a different hospital than Bird to treat their injuries, a spokesman for the Boston police told ESPN.

Details regarding the dispute — including where it occurred and the gender of the alleged victim — have not been released, but Boston police told CBS Boston that Bird was in a romantic relationship with the alleged victim.

Bird was originally scheduled to be arraigned in Brighton District Court Monday, but that hearing was delayed pending his release from the hospital, The Boston Globe reports.

In a statement on Saturday, the Boston Celtics confirmed that they were aware of the situation but opted not to comment further.

“We are aware of the incident involving Jabari Bird and are taking it very seriously. We are actively gathering information and will reserve further comment at this time,” their statement, obtained by The Boston Globe, reads.

Cedric Maxwell, formerly of the Boston Celtics, called the incident a “horrible situation” for all involved, CBS Boston reports.

“I’m really shocked, it’s a very serious allegation,” he said. “But very concerned right now about Jabari Bird, but I’m also concerned about the victim in this situation. It’s just a horrible situation for everybody.”

[Photo: Jabari Bird of the Boston Celtics looks on during a game against the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden on April 6, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. By Adam Glanzman/Getty Images]