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NBA players union executive director Billy Hunter utilized union funds to support former NBA forward Charles Smith's attempt to overthrow the National Basketball Retired Players Association, sources say, one of several maneuvers that inspired union president Derek Fisher to call for a business review of the union's activity. The players' union is currently being investigated by the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan, sources have confirmed. ESPN.com

Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter, NBPA, Charles Smith 

NBA players union executive director Billy Hunter utilized union funds to support former NBA forward Charles Smith's attempt to overthrow the National Basketball Retired Players Association, sources say, one of several maneuvers that inspired union president Derek Fisher to call for a business review of the union's activity. ESPN.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter, NBPA, Charles Smith 

The players' union is currently being investigated by the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan, sources have confirmed. Recent reports by both Yahoo! Sports and Bloomberg News detailed a number of other expenditures and hirings made by Hunter without executive committee oversight. The financial support of Smith is another one, sources said. ESPN.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter, NBPA, Charles Smith 

Several months later, as Smith fought to win back his position, the NBPA's late lead counsel, Gary Hall, told a retired players' association representative that the NBPA was in full support of Smith, would pay his legal fees and play "the race card," if necessary, sources said. Smith is black and Danny Schayes, selected to replace him, is white. Hall's comments were made, sources added, with Hunter present. ESPN.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter, NBPA, Charles Smith 

Why should anyone remotely expect the NBA and its players to get their billion dollar testosterone-fueled act together without the routine dosage of duress, disdain and danger if the National Basketball Retired Players Association, with so relatively little at stake, can’t extinguish enduring internal strife? In a letter last week, NBRPA counsel Jack Marin threatened former executive director Charles Smith with litigation. “It has come to our attention that you have been contacting the officers of our various chapters and numerous other association members in a manner that is disruptive, divisive and detrimental to the association. This is in violation of your duty of loyalty as a member of the association,” began the letter from Marin, a former Bullets forward. New York Post

Law, Charles Smith 

According to those in the know, CEO Arnie D. Fielkow and president George Tinsley have reason to believe the estranged Smith has been contacting members regarding the possible start-up of a rival retired association. On Nov. 18, 2010, after two years on the job, Smith was furtively fired by Tinsley and a five-man board. Scorned women know where the ex-Knicks forward may be coming from. Board member Dan Schayes replaced Smith, though briefly. Numerous players, led by Earl Monroe, fiercely objected to how the coup was handled. Not only was Smith’s firing proceeding, by a select few, highly disputable, but the membership wasn’t given a voice or a vote. Consequently, Schayes was relieved of his duties and an election reshuffled the board. In mid-September, a comprehensive search resulted in the hiring of Fielkow, a New Orleans city council VP. Oh, yeah, in the meantime, Smith threatened to sue the NBBPA for his wrongful discharge. I don’t believe he followed through. New York Post

Law, Charles Smith 

Again, in Smith’s email to members, he readily admitted communicating the terms of his sacking. “An interim Executive Director replaced me, and after days without any correspondence from the office, a vast majority of the membership was left to believe I did something illegal. I fielded the calls and carefully explained the position I was in. “There was no gag order placed on ME,” Smith emailed. “I was never instructed not to share this information The office did not send out any directives or explanation to the membership. For this reason, a large number of members called and e-mailed me to find out something. As you may have seen in my email, I carefully explained only the facts of my departure.” A month or so ago, Smith emailed members, alerting them he had withdrawn his real or imagined threat to take the NBRPA to court. Instead, apparently his new game plan is to take the association to the hoop. There’s something to be said, I suppose, for a man who never seems to tire of getting blocked. New York Post

Law, Charles Smith 

With hopes of making it in the world of business and finance, several NBA players have earned an MBA, like former New Jersey Nets guard Kerry Kittles and former New York Knick Charles Smith, who received their MBAs from Villanova University and Seton Hall University, respectively. fins.com

Charles Smith, Kerry Kittles 

The former NBA basketball player who was shot in October because of alleged gambling debts was charged Jan. 11 with additional drug- related crimes. Charles Edward Smith, 43, a former Boston Celtics and Georgetown University basketball player, was shot in the upper body Oct. 21 at a house in the 13200 block of Landsdales Hope Way in the Fairwood community west of Bowie. Online court records for Prince George's County District Court show that Smith was initially charged Oct. 29 with one count of possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute; one count of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, not marijuana; and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. Gazette.net

Law, Charles Smith 

Charles Edward Smith, 43, a former Boston Celtics and Georgetown University basketball player, was shot in the upper body Oct. 21 at a house in the 13200 block of Landsdales Hope Way in the Fairwood community west of Bowie. Online court records for Prince George's County District Court show that Smith was initially charged Oct. 29 with one count of possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute; one count of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, not marijuana; and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. Gazette.net

Boston Celtics, Law, Charles Smith 

Former Georgetown and NBA player Charles Smith was shot at his Prince George's County home, according to a police official familiar with the case. Police are still investigating a motive in the shooting, according to the police official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the information had not been publicly released. Police said a man found with a gunshot wound at the home in Bowie was taken to a local hospital, where he was listed in serious condition. ESPN.com

Law, Charles Smith 

Law enforcement sources have identified the man shot in Bowie Thursday as Charles E. Smith IV, a one-time Georgetown University basketball star and former NBA player. The sources said the shooting could have stemmed from a gambling debt. Police were called to a home in the 13200 block of Landsdale Hope Way about 12:20 p.m. for the report of a shooting. Investigators scoured the neighborhood for the shooter, who was reported to be wearing a red hat and armed with a handgun, according to witnesses. TBD.com

Law, Charles Smith 

Prince George's County Police are still searching for a suspect and answers in a shooting in the Fairwood Subdivision in Bowie. The victim was former Georgetown University basketball star Charles Smith. "I walk my dogs past here every day and I wasn't expecting nothing like this just to [go] down here," said neighbor Thadeus Norton. myfoxdc WTTG FOX 5

Law, Charles Smith