CLEVELAND — Celtics coach Brad Stevens offered strong words of support for the way assistant coach Jerome Allen has handled a legal situation that culminated with Allen pleading guilty to bribery charges this week.
While head basketball coach at the University of Pennsylvania in 2014, Allen accepted an $18,000 bribe from the parent of a prospective student. As part of a plea agreement entered in U.S. District Court, Allen agreed to repay $18,000 and was fined an additional $200,000.
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Stevens said the team will discipline Allen, who joined the Celtics in 2015, but admired the way Allen has handled himself during the legal process.
"When you first found out what he was accused of, disappointment in what he was accused of, disappointment in what he did. But could not admire how accountable he’s been more,” Stevens said Saturday morning at the Celtics shootaround at Quicken Loans Arena ahead of the preseason game against the Cavaliers. "He’s a great leader, he’s a great person. He’s got a great family. And he made a mistake and he owned it.
"You saw in [a] statement [released by Allen’s lawyer] - the first time I read it, that was about as much as you could own something. He’s been great for us. Obviously, this didn’t happen when he was a member of the Celtics. We’ll have appropriate discipline as a group but I really believe in him and I really appreciate him. I know this has been really tough on him but, like I said, he did it and so he owned it.”
Allen was with the team in Cleveland on Saturday morning. He’s worked extensively with some of the team’s younger players, including Terry Rozier.
In a statement through his attorney, Allen expressed disappointment in accepting the bribe.
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"I am heartbroken that my players — current and former — will know that I broke the law,” Allen wrote. "But I do hope that some good may come out of this. I wish to model to my young players how one accepts responsibility for wrongdoing, including the consequences that come from unlawful behavior.”