2008 IU commit Bud Mackey was arrested today on charges of possession of crack cocaine according to reports from channel LEX18 in Lexington.
If the charges are true (remember the whole innocent until proven guilty dogma we live by in American society) it is really a sad story. Mackey is one of the top high school basketball players in the nation. He was not known very well when he committed to Coach Sampson and the Hoosiers last fall, but the guard showcased his skills as he led his Scott County team to the Kentucky state championship. Mackey scored 20 points in the second half as Scott County defeated Ballard 56-50.
If convicted, it would be hard for Sampson and his staff to keep the scholarship open for Mackey. I did a quick check of different IU message boards before starting this entry. An overwhelming majority of posters did not want Mackey to come to IU if the charges are true. People posting on message boards for any team are some of the most passionate fans - if they don't want Mackey back then think of the reaction of a more casual fan.
Objective reporting aside, lets hope the charges are not true. I am saddened anytime someone throws everything away when they have so much going for them. If true, hopefully Mackey can turn his life around and learn from this mistake.
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