Horton-Tucker pleads guilty to misdemeanor theft

Mikinna Kerns/Iowa State Daily

Freshman guard Talen Horton-Tucker looks for an open pass during the Iowa State vs Kansas basketball game in Allen Fieldhouse Jan. 21. The Jayhawks defeated the Cyclones 80-76.

Jack Shover

NBA hopeful and former Iowa State guard Talen Horton-Tucker has plead guilty to fifth-degree theft.

According to the police report, Horton-Tucker, 18, stole $11.95 worth of goods from the Walmart in Ames, Iowa on 534 S Duff Ave. He was listed as being accompanied by an unidentified female and current Cyclone guard Terrence Lewis — who was not charged — during the theft.

At the time of the theft, Horton-Tucker was in the midst of his first season at ISU, but currently Horton-Tucker is engaged in the NBA pre-draft process.

It was reported Horton-Tucker stole two gatorades, a dog harness and a rope toy from the store.

An employee of Walmart was reviewing surveillance camera footage when they noticed a man, later identified as Horton-Tucker, didn’t pay for all of his items when he was going through the stores self checkout on Feb. 5.

The police report was subsequently filed on Feb. 18 and Horton-Tucker and Lewis, then a sophomore, were being identified via surveillance footage. Charges were only brought against Horton-Tucker after a police investigation. Theft in the fifth degree is a misdemeanor.

Horton-Tucker was named to the Big 12 Freshman team and averaged 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists a game last season.

Many mock drafts have him getting selected in the first round including CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish, who has Horton-Tucker going 25th overall.

The NBA Draft isn’t until June 20 — giving Horton-Tucker time to explain himself to NBA teams.

Horton-Tucker isn’t the only pro prospect to have been charged with misdemeanor theft as a college student. Current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston was cited for theft after walking out of a Florida supermarket in 2014 with $32 worth of crab legs and crawfish according to ESPN.

The incident, along with other separate allegations of vandalism and sexual assault, didn’t stop Winston from going No. 1 overall in the 2015 NFL draft.