Former Seattle Supersonics star Shawn Kemp pleaded guilty on Tuesday to second-degree assault following his involvement in allegedly firing a gun in a Tacoma Mall parking lot in Washington during March 2023. Now aged 55, Kemp was initially charged with first-degree assault, but prosecutors modified the charges last week to include a second charge of first-degree assault plus drive-by shooting, both with firearm enhancements.

Kemp faces a potential decade-long prison term along with a $20,000 fine, with the sentencing slated for August 22. Reports of the incident indicate that Kemp fired at two men amid a dispute outside the mall. However, Kemp’s attorney, W. Scott Boatman, argued that his client’s actions were “reasonable and legally justified” after he tracked several personal items stolen from his vehicle, including his iPhone, to the scene and insisted on self-defense after someone shot at him from a car.

On the date of the incident, Tacoma Police confirmed an altercation involving shots fired in a parking lot, stating, “At 1:58 pm, an altercation between the occupants of two cars led to shots being fired… A gun was recovered…”.

Kemp has a history of legal issues post-retirement, including an arrest in 2006 for drug possession after police found cocaine, marijuana, and a semiautomatic pistol in his possession.

He was a six-time NBA all-star and gained fame for his impactful years with the Supersonics but has also played for the Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, and Cleveland Cavaliers throughout his successful 14-year NBA career.