The Dallas Mavericks announced on Sunday that they were aware that an assistant coach had been arrested and suspended the employee in question.
Although the organization did not clarify the specific coach who was suspended, the belief is that it was Assistant Coach Darrell Armstrong after he was arrested on Saturday on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to NBA.com.
Dallas released a statement about the incident, writing that the employee has been “placed on administrative suspension pending the outcome of legal proceedings.”
“This matter is currently under review by the appropriate legal authorities. Due to this fact, we will allow the legal process to run its course and we will refrain from further comment while proceedings are ongoing,” added the franchise, per NBA.com.
Armstrong, 56, allegedly got into an argument with a woman and proceeded to hit her in the head with a gun before threatening to shoot her, as reported by WFAA.
An arrest affidavit states that officers were called to the scene at 1001 Ross Ave. on Saturday at 2:15 a.m. and found the victim standing in a nearby parking lot waiting for police with her father.
This affidavit states that Armstrong and the victim had been in an “intimate/cohabitating relationship since September of 2024.” Multiple reports had been filed in the past regarding family violence, per WFAA.
The victim told officers that the argument began when she discovered a text message from another woman on Armstrong’s phone, resulting in a verbal argument that quickly escalated.
Armstrong was allegedly drunk and became incredibly upset during the argument before picking up a gun and walking around the kitchen island.
The argument continued. Armstrong allegedly struck the victim on the right side of her face with the gun, loaded the weapon with a full magazine, and said: “I am going to shoot you,” as reported by WFAA.
The victim proceeded to leave the apartment complex and waited at a nearby 7-Eleven for family and police to arrive.
Upon arrival at the scene, officers knocked on the door and arrested Armstrong without any issues.
A search of the apartment found a pistol hidden under the couch with a loaded magazine but no bullets in the chamber.
Jail records indicate that Armstrong was booked into jail on Saturday around 7:30 a.m. and had a bond set at $35,000 that has already been posted, per WFAA.
Armstrong’s arrest comes in the midst of his 10th season coaching in the NBA after a 14-year playing career, during which the former basketball player won both the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award and the Most Improved Player Award in 1999.