New York (AFP) – Washington Wizards guard Jodie Meeks was suspended 25 games without pay by the NBA on Friday after testing positive for growth hormones in violation of the league’s anti-drug policy.
The league announced Meeks had tested positive for banned substances ipamorelin and growth hormone releasing peptide-2.
The suspension will begin with Saturday’s opening game of the Wizards’ NBA playoff series against Eastern Conference top seed Toronto.
The ban will keep Meeks out of this year’s playoffs and carry into next season. Meeks has a player option to play next season for the Wizards.
Washington went 43-39 this season, grabbing the last playoff spot in the East for the best-of-seven matchup against the Raptors, who owned the second-best record in the NBA at 59-23.
In 77 games this season for the Wizards, Meeks averaged 6.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists a game. He has NBA career averages of 9.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists a game over nine seasons with Milwaukee, Philadelphia, the Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit, Orlando and the Wizards.
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