National Basketball Association

Report: ESPN pulls analyst Rose off air

Published Apr. 1, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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Former Michigan basketball star and current ESPN NBA analyst Jalen Rose will not appear on the network for an indefinite amount of time after failing to notify his bosses about a recent arrest on suspicion of drunken driving, USA Today reported Friday.

"Jalen has accepted full responsibility for his actions. Both parties are taking this very seriously, and as a result, we've agreed that he will not be on our air while he addresses this situation," ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz told USA Today in an email Friday.

Rose, 38, was arrested March 11 in Michigan and charged with driving under the influence after a single-vehicle accident. He apologized earlier this week, saying that he "was confident" at the time that it was safe for him to drive.

However, blood-alcohol tests confirmed that he was above the legal limit, and he is due in court April 20.

"I regret the decision to drive home that evening and am grateful that no one was hurt in the accident," Rose said. "I apologize to my family, my employer and each and every one of my supporters for my lapse in judgment. I am particularly sorry for disappointing those who trust me to serve as a role model for young people."

ESPN's announcement comes one day after its new ombudsman at the Poynter Institute published a report saying that Rose "compromised" the network by keeping the arrest a secret for three weeks.

The concealment led to Detroit media outlets reporting Rose's arrest before ESPN, creating the perception that the network made a decision not to publicize a negative story about one of its own.

Krulewitz told USA Today that the decision to pull Rose off the air was made before the Poynter report was released.

Rose also made headlines earlier this month after making controversial comments about Duke players during an ESPN documentary that he produced.

In "The Fab Five," the former point guard said that during his high school and college days he viewed African-American players at Duke as "Uncle Toms."

His former Michigan teammates also made derogatory comments in the documentary, leading to pointed responses from former Duke stars Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley.