Nick Van Exel's son charged with murder

Son of Ex-NBA player Van Exel charged with murder

The 20-year-old son of former NBA player Nick Van Exel has been charged with capital murder in the death of a close friend, Dallas police announced Thursday.

Nickey Maxwell Van Exel was arrested Wednesday night and jailed on $1 million bond in the death of Bradley Bassey Eyo, 23. Police said Eyo was found on Sunday with a gunshot wound to his upper body near Lake Ray Hubbard, on the outskirts of Dallas.

Authorities later determined that Eyo was killed at a home in the Dallas suburb of Garland and that his body was dumped near the lake, police said.

Paul Johnson, the younger Van Exel’s attorney, told The Associated Press that his client told police he shot Eyo, a longtime friend and neighbor, while the two were engaged in “horseplay” with a shotgun. He said Van Exel didn’t know the gun, which belonged to his stepfather, was loaded.

After the shooting, Van Exel “panicked” and moved the body, Johnson said. Van Exel also tossed the gun in a creek, and it has yet to be found, he said.

Shades of the Jayson Williams incident all those years ago. Also, not to make light of the matter but that's a hell of a name too: Nickey Maxwell Van Exel.

Could it be he went bad like his namesake vernon maxwell?

Just sounds like he was being reckless and stupid.

Unbelievable. Didn't these fools learn anything from the Jayson Williams incident? He didn't know the gun was loaded - dumbass.

Murder implies intent, right? Shouldn't the charge be reckless manslaughter?

Sounds like he wants sentence reduced with 3rd degree murder verdict. He'll probably get it too if his daddy pays handsomely for high profile lawyers.

Who lets kids play around with guns? Seriously, I wonder how ashamed he feels for killing a close friend.

As for his name, it'd be better if it was Axel Maxwell Van Exel. That'd be one hell of a name.

Unbelievable. Didn't these fools learn anything from the Jayson Williams incident? He didn't know the gun was loaded - dumbass.

And the first rule of gun safety is...

And the first rule of gun safety is...

don't ever point the gun at someone/something you don't intend on shooting at.

Who calls their kid Nickey anyways?

I don't know - ask Nickey's mom.

Axel mentioned that Axel would be a better first name.

Who calls their kid Nickey anyways?

Mind you, at least he was a little more creative than the elder Patrick Ewing and Mike Dunleavy.