A group of five teenage basketball players from the Washington, D.C., region found themselves in an unexpected legal storm after a routine stop at a 7‑Eleven in Davenport, Florida, turned into a police investigation.
A Shocking Theft at a Florida 7‑Eleven
The incident unfolded during the Puma NXTPro basketball tournament, a youth circuit that draws talent from across the country. The athletes, members of the “Run It Up” travel program, were in town for competition when they decided to help themselves to merchandise from the convenience store.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the stolen items included a bag of Doritos, several packs of gummies and Starburst Minis, a Big Mama sausage, lemonade and multiple Slurpees, with a combined retail value of $37.60. The teens concealed the goods in a backpack and later in a nearby bush as they attempted to leave the scene.
Three of the five players were apprehended close to their rental unit, where officers recovered the hidden items. The coach, identified as Malik Abdul Harvey, later confessed to misleading investigators in an effort to shield the teenagers from immediate consequences.
All five youths and their coach now face a slew of charges, including conspiracy to commit retail theft, tampering with evidence, petit theft and violation of a juvenile curfew ordinance. Harvey additionally stands accused of child neglect, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, accessory after the fact and resisting without violence.
Sheriff Grady Judd has been vocal about the case, stating that the department seeks to prosecute the teenagers as adults, a move that reflects both the seriousness of the alleged conduct and a broader push to hold young offenders accountable under adult criminal law.
The arrests have reignited discussions about the pressures faced by elite youth athletes, the temptations of on‑the‑road convenience, and the potential long‑term consequences of treating juvenile theft as an adult offense. As the legal process moves forward, the basketball community watches closely, awaiting further developments.