Prayers to Dexter Pittman and his family...

[Collier11]

Pittman returns home from combine


By Andy Katz
ESPN.com
Archive

Dexter Pittman, a senior at Texas and former Longhorns center, left the NBA draft combine Friday.


His 16-year-old brother, Darius Johnson, was shot in the head and killed in a dispute in his garage Thursday night in Houston, according to Pittman's agent, Mark Bartelstein.

Johnson was one of three siblings of Pittman's. Pittman was informed that his brother was shot at midnight ET Thursday, and was told to fly home to Houston on Friday morning.

The NBA released a statement that Pittman would not participate in Friday's combine because of a family emergency.

Pittman arrived in Houston mid-morning Friday, where he was informed by his mother that his brother had died.

"I just feel terrible for him. Dexter has gone through so much to get to this point, he was in the best shape of his life, he worked so hard, and then this tragedy happens," Bartelstein said Friday.

Texas assistant Rodney Terry, who has been close to Pittman, said Dexter had been trying to get his brother Darius "on track. He had really worked hard to keep him out of trouble. So did his mom. He did everything he could. It's just so sad."

Terry said Darius was rushed to the hospital after the shooting but attempts to save his life weren't successful.

Texas coach Rick Barnes, when reached by ESPN.com Friday, had not heard the news but when informed said he was crushed for his former player.

Pittman was in Chicago to prove he could be a viable second-round selection in the June NBA draft.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

wow..I was watching Pittman work out last night...they made a lot of comparisons between him and tiny...

horrible tragedy

[Collier11]

sounds like another senseless tragedy

[NormanPride]

Sounds like Darius might have been involved with some bad kids. Terrible stuff. Prayers to all involved...

[SoonerShark]

Very sad. Our deepest condolences to the Pittman family. Accomplishing great things is diminished when those you shared it with pass, but it is especially true when one so young is taken. The opportunities of the Darius Johnson would have been enhanced by the doors opened by Dexter Pittman. How very, very sad.

[Collier11]

I say this everytime something like this happens but when are the parents or somebody going to step up and make it known that killing someone is not the way to do things.

Street cred and "respect" are ruining society but to people like this it doesnt matter as long as they arent the ones being killed

[Leroy Lizard]

I say this everytime something like this happens but when are the parents or somebody going to step up and make it known that killing someone is not the way to do things.

You will never understand.

They already know it's wrong. They already know about the pain they cause. They already know it's illegal.

They don't ****'in care!

This isn't about street cred or respect. It's about evil. Pure and simple.

What's it take for you to figure this out? But to you... these kids just made mistakes, exercised bad judgment.

"If...if... if we could just talk to them, so that they will understand. After all, we all make mistakes, right? And we don't want to be the first to cast the first stone..."

[Collier11]

Evil is a big part of it but you ask anyone from the inner city how much street cred and respect matter, it matters over life in many cases. So yes, deep down it is obviously evil but there are factors that are unfathomable to me and most people that go into killing people

Im not saying that is the case in this case, for all I know Pittmans family may be well off and away from that stuff

Finally, I have never ever said that killing someone is a mistake but you seriously need to go educate yourself on the inner city and gang lifestyle and then tell me that street cred and respect dont matter. I pull your income against mine that you are wrong

[Mad Dog Madsen]

How very sad. Just terrible news to hear. I hate hearing things like this especially when it involves somebody so young. He still had his whole life ahead of him. Prayers to Dexter and his family...

[Collier11]

something you need to realize Leroy is that not any single case is black n white, there are many factors that go into every single incident, whether it be 2 different people running a red light or 2 different people killing someone. Sorry to burst your bubble...

[Herr Scholz]

What a waste.

[Mad Dog Madsen]

I just don't understand how it's so easy for people to pick up a gun and take another person's life. In my day we duked it out. I'm not saying that's the right thing to do either but for God's sake these people need to realize how many people are affected by these stupid senseless crimes... Murder is not the answer.

[Leroy Lizard]

something you need to realize Leroy is that not any single case is black n white, there are many factors that go into every single incident, whether it be 2 different people running a red light or 2 different people killing someone. Sorry to burst your bubble...

Call Dexter Pittman and tell him.

[Leroy Lizard]

I just don't understand how it's so easy for people to pick up a gun and take another person's life. In my day we duked it out. I'm not saying that's the right thing to do either but for God's sake these people need to realize how many people are affected by these stupid senseless crimes... Murder is not the answer.

THEY DON'T CARE!

[Mad Dog Madsen]

THEY DON'T CARE!

Yeah... I seen that in your first post in big bold letters. I don't care for Mack Brown but I wouldn't shoot him in the head... People that murder have more issues than " not caring."

[Collier11]

Call Dexter Pittman and tell him.

He would tell you the same

[Leroy Lizard]

Yeah... I seen that in your first post in big bold letters. I don't care for Mack Brown but I wouldn't shoot him in the head... People that murder have more issues than " not caring."

They didn't shoot Pittman because they didn't care, they didn't stop from shooting him because they didn't care.

That should have been obvious enough.

[the_ouskull]

I hate Texas, but not nearly as much as I hate hearing sh*t like this...

the_ouskull