Tristan Thompson of the Cleveland Cavaliers was suspended for 25 games over violating the NBA anti-drug program.
Tristan Thompson of the Cleveland Cavaliers has been suspended by the NBA for 25 games without pay for violating the league’s anti-drug policy. Thompson tested positive for two prohibited substances, the league announced on Tuesday.
The league prohibits athletes from using ibutamoren due to its ability to enhance lean body mass by stimulating the secretion of growth hormones in humans.
Another anabolic compound, SARM LGD-4033 (ligandrol), acts as a selective testosterone receptor modulator.
In 36 games this season, the 32-year-old has averaged 3.8 points along with 3.9 rebounds for Cleveland. This is his initial suspension, and Spotrac estimates that he will incur a loss of $726,465.
In April 2023, the NBA agreed to cease testing players for marijuana. It was a continuation of the league’s March 2020 decision to suspend testing in light of the pandemic.
Furthermore, at its discretion, the league may conduct drug screenings for substances deemed “drugs of abuse,” including cocaine, methamphetamine, and opiates. The duration for which Thompson was using the substances is unknown.
On Monday, following the Cavaliers’ 126-99 road victory over the Orlando Magic, Thompson was presumably tested.
In twenty-one minutes, he accumulated the following statistics: four points, five rebounds, a single assist, one steal, and one block.
On Tuesday, the NBA suspended Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson for 25 games without pay for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.
Random drug testing for performance enhancers and human growth hormone resumed during the “NBA bubble” or has continued since then.
The league reported that Thompson, 32, tested positive for ibutamoren, a growth hormone, or SARM LGD-4033, a substance frequently used by bodybuilders and weightlifters to enhance muscle mass.
Thompson’s suspension will commence on Wednesday when the Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Milwaukee Bucks for the first time in two to three days. He will be eligible to return to the Houston Rockets on March 16.
The Cleveland Cavaliers issued the following statement: “We wholeheartedly endorse the NBA’s anti-drug initiative.” They further stated their support for Thompson and continued assistance during his suspension.
The Cavaliers stated, “We are disappointed by the recent developments concerning Tristan Thompson.” “His time away from game action is going to affect our team.”
Thompson is permitted to travel and practice during the suspension. His only exception entails that he must vacate the arena a minimum of two hours before game tipoff.
Thompson is currently in his second season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who selected the Canadian at number four overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. In Cleveland, the 6-foot-11 Thompson has grown into a beloved player.
The NBA announced on Tuesday that Cleveland Cavaliers out Tristan Thompson had been suspended over 25 games for not paying for violating its anti-drug policy.
The NBA issued the following statement regarding Thompson, 32: “He tested positive for the muscle builder SARM LGD-4033 and the growth hormone stimulant Ibutamoren.”
The Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, of the United States, has authorized the use of these medications to gain lean muscle mass and body mass. NBA policy prohibits the use of both substances.
The NBA reports that his suspension will commence on Wednesday when the Cavaliers host the Milwaukee Bucks. It is anticipated that the suspension will last until mid-March.
Born in Brampton, Ontario, Thompson attended high school in the United States on a student visa, which aided in the beginning of his basketball career.
He contributed to the city’s 2016 NBA championship squad, which captured its first major professional sports championship for the city since 1964.
He enrolled on the collegiate basketball team at the University of Texas and participated for one year before announcing his intention to enter the NBA draft and being selected fourth overall in 2011. His naturalization as a citizen of the United States occurred in November 2020.
Thompson previously won an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. Before his return to Cleveland in 2023, he played for the Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Lakers.