The Rise and Fall of " The Franchise"
The rise and fall of Steve Francis is a story of triumph and tragedy as the former NBA star has let substance abuse ruin his once proud celebrity lifestyle. These days the player once known as "The Franchise" is spiraling out of control and can't seem to get out of his own way.
Steve Francis has been in the news a lot lately and at the rate he is going he may not live to see his 50th birthday. Francis was released from jail after being arrested for a DWI charge on November 18th. The judge ordered that he have a breathalyzer installed into his vehicle and he must be randomly drug tested regularly, on top of those orders he can't consume any drugs unless prescribed by a doctor. He is still not out of the woods for a burglary/robbery charge he had admitted to committing while at a Houston area restaurant.
The victim of the burglary crime described the ordeal of the burglary in an interview with ABC news:
"The bartender runs out and says, 'hey get out of that guys' car' and I said, 'what guy' and I held up my keys. I said, 'this is my BMW'," she said.
According to authorities, Francis asked the bartender to help him look for his car keys, using a flashlight. "He got everything. He got a diamond ring….my father's wedding band….(irreplaceable)…sentimental value," she said.
She also added, "You think about someone, who has been at that level, and you read some of the things on the internet about him and it….it's sad. It's sad because it seems like he's had a rough few years,"
Even though Francis is facing stiff orders and possible jail time he was still allowed to travel to Florida for the holidays.
Steve Francis was drafted #2 overall in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets and spent 9 seasons in the league.
