Former NMSU basketball player takes plea deal, could testify against others

Former New Mexico State basketball player Doctor Bradley, one of three former players charged with crimes related to the alleged sexual assault and hazing of teammates during the 2022-23 season, has entered into a plea deal with the state that will allow him to avoid incarceration in exchange for his testifying in the trials of the other two defendants.

Bradley and former Aggie teammates Deshawndre Washington and Kim Aiken were each indicted by a grand jury in November on various felony charges including rape, false imprisonment and conspiracy.

The case stems from other teammates alleging they were hazed by the trio between Aug. 8, 2022, and Nov. 18, 2022.

After the allegations became public in February 2023, NMSU abruptly cancelled the men’s basketball season and fired head coach Greg Heiar. The university settled a civil lawsuit with two former players for $8 million (roughly $4 million for each player), and at least two other players and a student manager have filed a civil suit claiming they too were victims of sexual assault.

According to the plea deal, Bradley agrees to plead guilty to two petty misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct. He did not admit guilt to any charges related to sexual assault-related charges.

He also “agrees to testify truthfully and give a truthful pretrial statement” in the pending cases against Washington and Aiken.

Each misdemeanor carries a maximum sentence of up to six months in jail, but Bradley will receive probation.

Bradley had been facing 27 years in prison if convicted on the 13 charges. Washington is still facing 27 years and Aiken could face 24 years on 11 charges.

According to the charging documents, Washington, Bradley and Aiken are accused of the most serious charge, rape, because they are alleged to have forcibly digitally penetrated another person, and were aided or abetted by another.

The plea deal was made public Wednesday, though signed by Bradley and his attorney last week and by an attorney with the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General and state District Judge Conrad F. Parea on Monday.

Bradley, who now lives in Los Angeles, is still pursuing a professional basketball career. He played over the summer in the Los Angeles-based Drew League, a well-known pro-am that runs from June to early August each summer and features top-level players from all over the country, including current and former college and NBA players.

This past summer, the league was won by a team led by DeMar DeRozan, who currently plays for the Sacramento Kings.

Bradley and Washington each played in the league and performed well on the court. Bradley averaged 20.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game for Elevate, and Washington, who was named the Drew League MVP for West Coast Elite, averaged 22.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. The two never faced each other during the summer season.