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The NBA announced Friday that Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders, who is out for the season with orbital bone fractures, will be suspended five games for violating the league's anti-drug policy.
Sanders said in a statement released by the Bucks he was suspended for using marijuana.
— cfgardner (@cf_gardner) April 4, 2014
Sanders: "I take full responsibility for my actions."
— cfgardner (@cf_gardner) April 4, 2014
Sanders will serve the suspension beginning next season.
The news adds to a disappointing year for Sanders that included a police investigation into his involvement in a bar fight, a ligament tear in his thumb resulting from the fight, tensions with his head coach and teammates, and then his eye injury.
Sanders signed a four-year, $44 million extension in the offseason that kicks in at the beginning of his 2014-15 season, and he said after his most recent injury that he would do everything in his power this offseason to stay on the court.
The center out of Virginia Commonwealth played in just 23 games this year and averaged 7.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game under first-year Bucks coach Larry Drew.