A former NBA player is facing numerous charges after police say he stole more than $1,000 worth of items from a Lowell grocery store.
Courtney Fortson, 37, was arrested on Oct. 23 for seven counts of breaking or entering, seven counts of commercial burglary and one count of theft of property.
According to the KNWA Fox 24, the Lowell Police Department says that on Oct. 14, a supermarket employee witnessed Fortson attempt to walk out of the store with a cart full of food after only scanning $4.48 worth of goods at the self-checkout.
Fortson was freed on a $10,000, bond and is set to appear in court in December.
Career
Fortson was standout at the University of Arkansas which lead him to a short career in the NBA. He went undrafted in 2010 due to concerns about his size (listed as 5’11 during his playing career) and efficiency (4.7 turnovers per game and 39.7% shooting across those two years).
After not being selected in the 2010 NBA draft, he went overseas, with a stint in Romania before getting a spot on the Reno Big Horns, the Sacramento Kings’ G-League affiliate.
Fortson eventually found his way to the NBA during the league’s 2011 lockout-shortened season. His NBA tenure included short stints with the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets during the 2011–2012 season, followed by a successful overseas career in Russia, Turkey, and China.