Arizona sophomore Ira Lee said he will deal with the consequences, but was very sorry after getting cited and released on a super extreme driving under the influence charge.
He said in a tweet Thursday night that he was deeply sorry for his actions after getting pulled over early Sunday morning after a night of drinking.
He said he was deeply distraught over his grandmother’s suicide earlier in the week and other personal issues.
In his tweet, Lee, 20, apologized to the his family, the city of Tucson and the school, saying he a acted “completely out of character and it is a regret I will have to live with the rest of my life.”
— Ira Lee (@iramandoesit) August 24, 2018
In the tweet, he said his grandmother died a day before he was cited and it was not “addressed publicly.”
“Before all of these events I was already emotionally unstable and dealing with different personal issues,” Lee tweeted. “The only person I can blame is myself because I knew how unstable I was and instead of seeking help, I turned to drinking which lead (sic) to a terrible mistake.”
Lee said he is focusing on becoming happy and would “eventually deal with whatever consequences that come my way,” adding that he advises others to seek help from someone if facing issues.
Arizona’s Ira Lee goes up for a shot against Long Beach State (Arizona Athletics photo)
“Self harm is not the answer and it can lead to harming others unintentionally,” Lee wrote. “Once again, I am deeply sorry and I am looking forward to getting back on track.”
In a release about Lee’s situation the school said it was reviewing the case and it has been sent to the Dean of Students and the Athletics department is reviewing it for team consequences.
Lee’s role is expected to be a big one this season given the departures of Dusan Ristic and Deandre Ayton, the NBA’s No. 1 overall pick in June.
Lee averaged 2.4 points and 2.3 rebounds a game last season.
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