Former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson have had a fruitful second career as co-hosts of the All the Smoke podcast. The pod, fittingly named because Barnes and Jackson were infamous for never backing down from a fight during their careers, upholds that same reputation by being unafraid to tackle any topic surrounding the world of basketball, no matter how taboo or uncomfortable it might be. A recent episode with former NBA guard Keyon Dooling in which he spoke about his role in a widespread insurance fraud ring perpetrated by himself and other NBA players was one such topic, and it was an extremely interesting listen.
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Dooling’s appearance on the show was fascinating for a number of reasons, one of which being that Barnes and Jackson were two of the players that he ostensibly defrauded. Dooling talked about how the NBA is a brotherhood, but what he and other defendants, that include Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Tony Allen, and Sebastian Telfair, did is akin to treason.
To his credit, Barnes was calm and measured as he asked Dooling to explain how and why he got involved in such a scheme. Jackson, who isn’t normally shy with his words, mostly stayed silent, but his quiet anger was palpable. Really though, who could blame him? Dooling characterized what he did as “a bad judgment,” “a mistake,” and “greed,” but what it really was, was a betrayal of a fraternity that few get the chance to join.
Dooling said, “I saw a lick,” making it clear that he wasn’t thinking about who he was stealing from (his fellow NBA players), but only himself and an opportunity to get some free cash. “It’s a brotherhood league or whatever,” Dooling went on to say.
Despite his actions from the past and the admission of his wrongdoings, there was a clear hint of regret in his words. He also suggested his remorse empowered him to come out and speak about how he wronged the fraternity.
“One of the worst, not one of the worst, the worst decisions I made in my entire life. And you know, I embrace it. You know, I’m apologetic for it. That’s why I’m open to speaking about it, right? Because I don’t want anybody else to put themselves in harm’s way. I don’t want anybody to bite that apple from that tree in any way, shape or form.”
Keyon Dooling has a long way to go to earn back the trust of his NBA brothers
Former New Jersey Net Terrence Williams was the ringleader of the scheme, and over at least three years, he recruited nearly 20 other former players, including Dooling, to help him defraud the NBA Players’ Health and Welfare Benefit Plan by submitting fake invoices for services that were not actually rendered.
Williams received kickbacks from the players he recruited, and prosecutors estimate that in total the group submitted about $3.9 million in fake invoices, of which they personally received about $2.5 million.
The NBA players who participated in the scheme have faced varying sentences. Dooling recounted being awoken in the early morning hours one day by the Feds surrounding his house, then telling his wife, “I’m about to go to jail.”
He was sentenced to 30 months, and he ended up serving 10 months in federal prison, six months in a halfway house, and two months in home confinement. For his role as the orchestrator of the scheme, Williams was sentenced to 10 years in prison and is currently serving his term.
There’s a lot that goes into someone making such a bad decision. Dooling spoke a bit about the traumatic events of his childhood that he overcame, because as he put it, “I was able to channel a lot of that trauma into my hoops, but it’s still there.” After losing the outlet that basketball provided following the conclusion of his playing career, he was suddenly more vulnerable to “bite that apple from that tree,” as he said.
It’s also well-known that a large percentage of former athletes don’t plan ahead and end up either bankrupt or in serious financial trouble within just a few years of retirement, and the sad reality is that some of them, like Dooling, turn to illegal acts to make ends meet. Barnes pointed out to Dooling, “You beat that,” in reference to the difficult events of his early life
Just as Michael Vick was able to make amends for being involved in a dogfighting ring by going to jail, doing community service, speaking out about animal welfare, and helping pass legislation to protect animals, the hope is that Dooling can continue to truly seek forgiveness and turn this experience into a positive.
He’s served his time, and he also had to pay back over $1 million in forfeited funds and restitution for his crimes. Hopefully, his openness about his mistakes helps prevent other athletes from going down the same path.
