The college basketball program at Alabama is planning to be without Aden Holloway during the NCAA Tournament after he was arrested for possession of marijuana. He was also charged with failing to affix a tax stamp.
However, the 21-year-old point guard claims he only smokes.
Despite what the evidence might suggest, I actually believe Holloway when he says he doesn’t sell weed. There is too much money in college basketball to be that strapped for cash!
Alabama’s star point guard was arrested for marijuana.
Holloway, a junior at the University of Alabama, was arrested on Monday morning. Police found an ridiculous amount of marijuana in his apartment.
According to AL.com, the deposition and charge sheet says “drug agents serving a search warrant found loose marijuana, a vacuum sealed bag with marijuana, a rolling tray and packing material.” They found 964 grams in total, which comes out to approximately 2.1 pounds. (2.2 is the is the mark for a felony trafficking charge.)
Holloway was charged with first-degree possession and failure to affix a tax stamp because police believe his intent was to sell.
The latter of the two charges is very unusual. Tuscaloosa drug agents started charging suspected drug dealers in 2016 for breaking a law that requires them to purchase tax stamps.
The law, which passed in 1988, requires any person who sells drugs to pay a very specific tax and affix a stamp to the product. The stamps read ‘Say No To Drugs’ and ‘Say No To Marijuana.’
If a dealer is convicted of selling drugs without one of these stamps, any fines levied against the dealer go directly into the state’s general fund. The Alabama Marijuana Tax Stamps law imposes a tax of $3.50 per gram on any amount greater than 42.5 grams. It’s weird but it’s the law!
Both of these charges, especially the first-degree possession, stems from the police department’s belief that Aden Holloway was going to sell. He claims otherwise.
Does Aden Holloway sell weed?
Holloway told the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force that he “only smokes.” He was trying to say he does not also sell weed.
I believe him.
The former five-star recruit used to wear $100+ t-shirts under his basketball jersey while in high school. I would imagine he got paid more than $500,000 per year in NIL money at Alabama.
Money was/is not tight.
Plus, if we are to do the math, 964 grams comes out to approximately 2.6 grams per day over 365 days. That averages out to two or three blunts and/or joints per day (or just one big Backwood), which is more or less on par with my daily consumption during college. Some days more. Some days less. Especially if Holloway was smoking out his boys who did not make as much money and/or tossed them a few grams.
As someone who makes six figures, it makes way more financial sense to buy cannabis in bulk. It is so much less expensive per gram to buy a pound than to buy just a single gram. Think of it like Costco…
Now, this is not to absolve Aden Holloway of blame for his mistakes. He made a dumb decision as a high-profile college athlete and got caught. He deserves to face the repercussions and serve his punishment.
According to Ryan Phillips, “Holloway was pulled over last week and had a small amount of marijuana in the car, cooperated with the UAPD officer who pulled him over, and was issued a citation.” It was foolish not to get rid of the two+ pounds in his apartment after he was pulled over. Come on, man….
But with that all being said — and I could end up being wrong — I don’t think he was selling weed.
What is next?
Aden Holloway posted a $5,000 bond and was released from jail on Monday morning. He is currently under investigation by the University of Alabama Office of Student Conduct and not permitted on campus in addition to his suspension from the basketball team.
Although Holloway can appeal his status to the university and could potentially be allowed to return to the classroom and the starting lineup, the condition of his bond does not allow him to leave the state while charges are pending. A judge would have to allow him to travel with the Crimson Tide if the university (and coach Nate Oats) does overturn his suspension if he is going to play in March Madness.
It seems unlikely.