Zach Randolph Was Arrested For Possession Of Marijuana, And Unjustly Charged With The Intent To Sell

TMZ- NBA star Zach Randolph was arrested in L.A. on Wednesday night -- igniting a crazy disturbance that required cops to call in the cavalry for backup, TMZ Sports has learned. 

LAPD officers were called to the Nickerson Gardens area in L.A. around 10 PM -- and when they arrived, cops found a large crowd of people smoking, playing loud music and blocking the roadway.

Law enforcement sources tell us 3 people were seen grabbing their waistbands and running -- so cops went after them.

Three people were detained -- including Randolph, who was eventually arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to sell, A FELONY. We're told the "intent to sell" part was due to the large amount of weed found.

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Wait, you can get arrested for having weed on you in Los Angeles? I guess I knew that legalization didn't mean you could skip around a major city with blunts tucked behind both ears, but I also thought it was one of those "slap on the wrist" offenses. Like, try not to jay walk and also don't flaunt your recreational drug usage during a rowdy, unlicensed block party that's looks like it features multiple smoke machines and takes place on an active roadway. I suppose the whole "crazy disturbance" factor didn't help their case, but I still feel like going outside outside and getting high with your friends in California should at least require a initial warning before the cuffs come out. 

More importantly, who the hell are these officers to make the outrageous assumption that Zach Randolph - of all people - intended  to sell? I sure as hell hope they found a bunch of crinkled up $20's in one pocket and carefully portioned zip lock bags in the other. We are talking about a longtime professional athlete whose famously known for having an iron lung. The fact that he had an excessive amount of marijuana on his person at a large get together doesn't automatically make him a terrible drug dealer. In fact, it's far more likely that it makes him a great fucking friend. Z-Bo should have turned right around and placed that ignorant cop under citizen's arrest for stoner shaming. I suppose you can give an NBA player a misdemeanor for blowing trees by the street lights, but there better be a bit more evidence before you go handing out felonies after weighing a man's intent to distribute (to anyone other than his closest homies) solely by the o-z. As far as I am concerned, the most criminal activity that took place was underestimation at the hands of law enforcement, because I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable questioning the former 'Jail Blazer' if he said "hey, I was going to finish that".