Indiana Pacers guard Stephen Jackson is ``happy to be alive,'' after being punched in the mouth and hit by a car during a fight at a strip club in which police say he fired a gun in the air.
``I want to apologize to my teammates, to the fans and to this organization,'' Jackson said Tuesday after his first practice since the incident on Friday. ``It was a very unfortunate incident. I definitely take responsibility for my action and everything I've done.''
Indianapolis police have arrested Deon Willford, 23, on felony counts relating to the fight, including criminal recklessness and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, and a misdemeanor count of driving without a licence.
Willford drove a car that hit Jackson, sending him tumbling over the hood, said Indianapolis Police spokesman Sgt. Matthew Mount. Police said Jackson fired a gun in the air in apparent self-defence during the fight.
Jackson has stitches in his lip and other scrapes and bruises. But he said he realizes he is fortunate.
``I'm definitely blessed to be here today,'' he said in his first public comments since the fight. ``I didn't really think I'd be up the next day after I got hit by a car and be walking. But I'm definitely blessed. I'm glad to be on the court. I'm happy to be alive and be able to be with my teammates and my family.''
He could be available to play in the Pacers' second pre-season game against Utah on Saturday.
Besides Jackson, teammates Jamaal Tinsley, Marquis Daniels and Jimmie Hunter were at the club at 3 a.m., police said. Officers said they found a small amount of marijuana in the passenger-side door of point guard Tinsley's car. But no arrests were made because there were three others in Tinsley's car and police could not determine who had the marijuana, authorities said.
Former Pacer star Reggie Miller criticized the players on Monday. The league's all-time leader in three-pointers went on Dan Patrick's ESPN Radio show and said the actions by the four players were a ``punch in the gut'' to team CEO Donnie Walsh and president Larry Bird. He also criticized coach Rick Carlisle, saying his training camp hasn't been difficult enough if the players have enough energy to be partying at 3 a.m.
Bird said Tuesday he had no response to Miller's comments.
