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Sebastian Telfair is making one last plea before reporting to prison, asking former president Donald Trump to step in and pardon him, per TMZ. The former high school phenom and 2004 Portland Trail Blazers first-round pick is set to begin a six-month sentence on Tuesday for allegedly failing to meet the terms of a plea agreement tied to a healthcare fraud case.
#SebastianTelfair tells TMZ Sports he wants #DonaldTrump to help him avoid a lengthy stay behind bars this year. pic.twitter.com/a2tFgCoYe5
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) August 11, 2025
Speaking to TMZ Sports in New York City just hours before his scheduled surrender, Telfair expressed frustration at the situation. He claims he was accused of not fulfilling his community service requirement, something he feels is unfair. “I know Donald Trump’s got some big things going on, but Donald Trump, I need you to come holla’… give your boy a pardon so I could stay home with my baby,” Telfair said. He added that if Trump took the time to look into his case, he would “definitely” want to grant him a pardon.
Telfair, now 39, insists he’s done too much good for the community to be sent back to jail. “You’ll hold me accountable and want me to continue to go do good. But I did too good to be sending anybody to jail,” he told the outlet.
From NBA promise to legal trouble
Telfair’s professional career began with lofty expectations after a standout run at Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn. He played for eight NBA teams between 2004 and 2015, including stints with the Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors and Oklahoma City Thunder. He also had a stretch in China before retiring in 2017.
His post-career life has been marred by legal problems, including two weapons charges and his role in the 2021 healthcare fraud scandal that implicated 18 former NBA players. Prosecutors alleged the group defrauded the league’s health plan out of nearly $4 million. Telfair pleaded guilty in 2023 and initially received time served and three years of supervised release. That changed this summer when a judge re-sentenced him to six months in prison for allegedly failing to satisfy the terms of his release.
Whether Trump intervenes remains to be seen, but for Sebastian Telfair, the clock is ticking.
