Javaris Crittenton, a former NBA player, was drafted 19th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2007. He is now on probation after serving 10 years in prison for manslaughter. His story features in Netflix’s documentary Untold: Shooting Guards, which premiered on May 6, 2025. The episode, exclusive to Netflix, was directed by Matthew Ogens. It explores Crittenton’s life, focusing on his NBA career and legal troubles.
Javaris Crittenton’s promising career derailed after a 2009 gun incident with teammate Gilbert Arenas over a gambling debt. In 2011, he killed Julian Jones, a mother of four, in a drive-by shooting. He pleaded guilty in 2015, receiving a 23-year sentence, later reduced to 10 years.
Javaris Crittenton’s rise and fall in the NBA
Javaris Crittenton, born on December 31, 1987, in Atlanta, Georgia, was a standout point guard at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. He played alongside Dwight Howard, leading their team to a state championship. After one season at Georgia Tech, he entered the 2007 NBA Draft.
The Los Angeles Lakers selected him 19th overall. Crittenton played 113 games across the Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, and Washington Wizards, averaging 5.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. His career ended abruptly after a 2009 locker room incident with Gilbert Arenas, resulting in a season-long suspension for both players.
The 2009 locker room gun incident shaped his career’s end
In December 2009, Javaris Crittenton and teammate Gilbert Arenas clashed in the Washington Wizards’ locker room. The dispute began over a gambling debt from a card game on a team flight from Phoenix. According to teammate Caron Butler’s book Tuff Juice: My Journey from the Streets to the NBA, Arenas brought four unloaded guns to the locker room, challenging Crittenton to pick one.
Javaris Crittenton, reportedly a close friend of Arenas, pulled out his own loaded gun and pointed it at Arenas. The confrontation caused panic among teammates, who fled the scene. Crittenton pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge on January 25, 2010, receiving one year of probation. Two days later, NBA Commissioner David Stern suspended both players for the season. Crittenton never returned to the NBA.
Attempts at a comeback failed after suspension
After his suspension, Javaris Crittenton tried to revive his career. In September 2010, he signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Charlotte Bobcats for training camp. The team released him before the regular season. He then played briefly overseas for the Zhejiang Lions in China, averaging 25.8 points in five games in December 2010.
In February 2011, he joined the Dakota Wizards in the NBA D-League, playing 21 games, including five starts. These efforts marked his final professional basketball stints. By 2011, legal troubles overshadowed his career, halting any chance of a sustained comeback.
Legal troubles led to prison and early release
Javaris Crittenton’s life took a darker turn after his NBA career ended. In 2011, he was involved in a fatal shooting in Atlanta, leading to his arrest and a 23-year prison sentence. His sentence was later modified, resulting in his release in 2023. The Untold: Shooting Guards documentary details these events, shedding light on his actions and their consequences.
The 2011 shooting of Julian Jones changed his life
On August 19, 2011, Crittenton fired shots in a drive-by shooting in Atlanta, targeting a man he believed had robbed him of jewelry and valuables in April 2011. Instead, he killed Julian Jones, a 22-year-old mother of four. Prosecutors stated Crittenton did not intend to kill Jones, an innocent bystander. He was arrested alongside his cousin, Douglas Gamble, on August 26, 2011.
Initially charged with murder, felony murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, firearm possession during a crime, and gang activity, Crittenton pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in April 2015. He expressed remorse in court, apologizing to Jones’ family. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison with 17 years of probation.
Early release in 2023 sparked controversy
In April 2023, Crittenton’s sentence was modified to 10 years in prison, with time served, and 10 years of probation. He was released from Wilcox State Prison on April 21, 2023. Conditions include 7,200 hours of community service over 10 years, mentoring youth against gang involvement, and wearing an ankle monitor with a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew for five years.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who briefly represented Crittenton as a defense attorney, filed a motion to rescind the resentencing, citing a conflict of interest. Judge Charles Eaton upheld the new sentence, ruling Willis’ prior involvement did not disqualify her office. Jones’ mother, June Woods, opposed the release, stating her family was not informed of the deal.
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Arvind is a Senior Writer and Editor at Hilvaro, specializing in anime, entertainment, and pop culture. With a BSc in Transportation Technology, his passion for storytelling led him to a career in journalism. He has previously contributed to Sportskeeda and GameRant, covering anime and entertainment with a keen eye for detail.
Outside writing, Arvind loves gaming and is fond of anime, binge-watching movies and television series. He spends some of his free time listening to rock music and writing poetry. What Arvind appreciates most about pop culture is the theme that makes it more alive and engaging for this generation; thus the possibility of such content reaching readers across the globe.
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