Former McDonald’s All-American Carlton Bragg has been dismissed by New Mexico Basketball after he was arrested on a DWI charge and possession of marijuana charge.
Carlton Bragg can’t get his act together. The former 4-star recruit has also attended and been dismissed from Kansas and Arizona State.
According to the Albuquerque Journal, New Mexico Basketball head coach Paul Weir had this to say regarding Bragg’s dismissal:
"Based on what I know at this time, I will be removing him from the team. My hope is that he can find increased time and attention to heed to his personal well being. My sole purpose going forward is to support Carlton in his health and growth as a young man. The game of life is much more important than basketball right now. I still believe in him and hope this next step will allow him to develop into a strong, responsible young adult while also completing his degree here at UNM. I am rooting that this next chapter is his best one yet."
Bragg was once a highly-touted recruit out of Cleveland, Ohio. He was heavily recruited by Kentucky, Arizona, UCLA, Illinois, and Kansas before eventually choosing the latter. He was the top-ranked prospect in the state of Ohio, and the fifth overall power forward in the country.
If you aren’t familiar with Carlton Bragg, you may be wondering how he has been dismissed from his first two programs.
Bragg committed to Kansas prior to the 2015-16 season. In 2016, Bragg got arrested and charged with battery against a woman. The charges ended up being dropped, but the incident led to his dismissal from the Jayhawks program. After two seasons in Lawrence, Bragg transferred to Arizona State. It didn’t last long. Before he could even step on the court for the Sun Devils, Bragg was dismissed from the team due to a violation of team rules. No further details were given to the public.
Now, it finally seemed like Bragg had found a home at New Mexico. He was having the best year of his career, and he was helping lead a strong team to the NCAA tournament. Bragg averaged 12.6 points and 10.3 rebounds in 15 games played. He missed three games early in the season due to a suspension. He was suspended because of a sexual abuse allegation by another New Mexico student.
Carlton Bragg’s college basketball career is over, and so is his chance at the NBA. He was a great talent that had unbelievable potential, but because of off the court issues Bragg will most likely have to settle for a pro contract overseas.