The details came out painting a bloody scene outside a Miami strip club, which left Houston Rockets goalkeeper Sterling Brown hospitalized early Monday.
The Houston Rockets released a statement Monday that Brown “was the victim of an assault” and “suffered facial lacerations, but will recover completely.” Several other details about the incident were reported at the time.
Athletic’s Shams Charania and Kelly Iko published a story on Thursday citing sources close to Brown who were worried about his life after a late assault outside a club called Booby Trap.
Report: Brown left beaten, bloodied by several attackers at the strip club
According to the report, Brown and some of his Rockets teammates took a trip to Booby Trap around Monday at midnight. The Rockets stayed at a Coral Gables hotel before Monday’s game against the Miami Heat, after playing the Orlando Magic on Sunday afternoon.
The Rockets chose to stay in the Coral Gables to put some distance between the team and Miami nightlife, according to the report.
Upon leaving the club, Brown accidentally tried to get into the wrong van, according to the report, causing an exchange of words with his occupants who became violent. A source told The Athletic that the occupants of the truck all proceeded to beat Brown, an attacker hitting him in the back of the head with a bottle, “leaving blood everywhere”.
Report: Brown’s teammate intervened to stop the attack
Brown’s teammate Kevin Porter Jr. stepped in to protect Brown and was “harsh” in the process, according to the report. Several of Brown’s teammates had already left the premises before the attack.
Porter was good enough to play against the Heat on Monday. Brown, who had been removed with a knee injury, was not. The Rockets cited Brown’s knee injury as a reason for his absence Monday.
According to a report by the Miami-Dade Police Department obtained by The Athletic, the police found Brown “with several lacerations all over his body”, after answering a call about a fight.
Brown “continues to insist he does not want to provide the information,” according to the police report. He was admitted to Jackson Memorial Hospital after 7 a.m., according to the report.
“His face is broken”
When he arrived at the emergency room, “blood was everywhere, dripping all over the floor,” according to the report. Doctors feared Brown may have suffered blood clots from head injuries.
“If he hadn’t been as strong and physically tough, he might not have gotten out of the situation. [Sunday] at night, “a source told The Athletic. “He could have died.”
After receiving stitches and undergoing tests, Brown was discharged Monday afternoon.
“His face is raised,” a source told The Athletic
A league spokesman told The Athletic that he was investigating the incident and “hoped Sterling would fully recover”.
Stephen Silas approaches the attack, gives updates about Brown
Rockets coach Stephen Silas answered questions about the pre-Houston assault on the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. The head coach he was dealing with a tumultuous Missile season Before the attack on Brown, he told reporters that he was trying to “focus on the controllable elements.”
“It’s not an easy situation,” Silas said. “It simply came to our notice then. That’s why I’m here. My task is to lead us through these choppy waters. My job is to help the players navigate everything that happens around them …
“Obviously, there are a lot of things that can’t be controlled. It’s not like I can’t worry about those things. But I can do what I can. Stay strong, stay positive, stay all these things in these times is that’s what I need. That’s what I’m doing. “
Silas also told reporters that Porter has been placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols and will not be available to play the next three games against the Jazz, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets. The reported exit to the strip club violates the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols that prohibit players from participating in bars and clubs.
Silas also confirmed that “Sterling is here in Houston and recovering. “
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