Lewis suspended 10 games by NBA

[JLEW1818]

NEW YORK -- Orlando Magic forward Rashard Lewis tested positive for an elevated testosterone level and was suspended Thursday for 10 games.

Lewis said in a statement that he took an over-the-counter supplement late last season that included a substance he did not realize was banned by the NBA.

"First and foremost I take full responsibility for the situation and accept the corresponding penalty," Lewis said. "I apologize to Magic fans, my teammates and this organization for not doing the research that should come with good judgment."

He will be suspended without pay for the first 10 regular-season games for which he is eligible and physically able to play. He will be docked about $1.6 million of his $18 million salary for the 2009-10 season.

According to league sources, Lewis tested positive for steroids precursor DHEA and asked for a retest, as is his right under the collective bargaining agreement, ESPN.com's Jackie MacMullan has learned.

Lewis did not think he was taking anything illegal, so he sat down with the Magic staff and they isolated an over-the-counter supplement he was taking that contained DHEA, banned by The National Basketball Players Association. It is frequently used to combat fatigue. Lewis had not told Magic officials he was taking it. He was randomly tested again during the finals, but the DHEA was still in his system, MacMullan reported.

The first game he could play would be Nov. 16 at home against Charlotte. He will miss Orlando's first game against Cleveland, the team the Magic upset in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Orlando Sentinel first reported the positive test Thursday.

Lewis is the sixth player to test positive for performance-enhancing drugs since the league began testing in 1999.

"I hope every athlete can learn from my mistake that supplements, no matter how innocent they seem, should only be taken after consulting an expert in the field," Lewis said in his statement.

Lewis' agent, Tony Dutt, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The 29-year-old Lewis was an All-Star last season and is one of the NBA's best 3-point shooters at 6-foot-10, allowing him to play on the perimeter and the Magic to create the matchup problems that helped them beat Boston and Cleveland in the postseason.

He was hurt late in the regular season, missing the final three games with right knee tendinitis, then returned to average 19.0 points in the playoffs to help lead the Magic to the NBA finals.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4381822

[Eielson]

There are better ways to cheat. This is wimpy.

[JLEW1818]

lol. and he aint even big .. ha

i might believe him tho, "over the counter"

[Scott D]

Well, Plan B is available over the counter at your local pharmacy

[Eielson]

I think it would be easier to believe if he said he simply didn't know it was illegal. The whole buying over the counter stuff and not realizing there was DHEA in it sounds kinda strange. If you knew DHEA was illegal, it shouldn't be hard to see that it's in the product you bought.

[JLEW1818]

makes u wonder if NBA players juice? how often do they get tested

[Eielson]

Everybody juices.

[JLEW1818]

u think lebron used roids, ever?

[Eielson]

u think lebron used roids, ever?

I don't know, and I'm not going to guess. This shouldn't be a shock that a basketball player would use a performance enhancer. Football players do, baseball players do, basketball players do, olympic sprinters do, gymnasts do, powerlifters do, bodybuilders do. Shoot, probably even tennis players do.

Basketball players have an insane schedule. 82 games are a ton. If you're going to keep your weight/strength over the course of that grueling of a schedule you either have to have great genetics, pay a ton of attention to what you're eating/how your training, or use performance enhancers, and a lot of times a combination of two or three of those.

Some sports use performance enhancers more than others, but most sports do use them to some degree. Unless maybe we're talking golf or a sport like that.

[JLEW1818]

that's mainly why i don't think Lebron will last... the way he plays the game... drive drive drive