Local boy Darius Miles, the one-time wonder from East St. Louis, will return to the hardwood later this month to join fellow provocateurs from the sports world for the "Loosecannon Celebrity Basketball Game" at the Chaifetz Arena. Other athletic wildcards like Chad Ochocinco and St. Louisan Larry Hughes will join the fracas.
Tip-off is on Saturday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m.
Another local star who's played with the 'Cannons before, Laurence Maroney, evidently will not be suiting up this year. Maroney's personal loosecannonness led him into a bit of trouble earlier this year when his SUV was pulled over (coincidentally, outside the Chaifetz Arena) by police. A search of the car produced marijuana and several handguns. He was charged with a misdemeanor.
Maroney, a superstar out of high school who was drafted No. 21 overall by the Patriots in the 2006 draft, has not yet been signed for the 2011 season. Miles, once charged with his own misdemeanor after cops pulled him over and found pot in car, witnessed the own fizzling of his career after being hyped as a once-in-a-generation all-star.
Here's hoping they can reunite in next year's Loosecannon game.