The top recruit that ended up in prison and ruined his career
The stories of basketball prodigies that never managed to make it or their life took them a different way are always hard to hear, as it raises the infamous question: what if?
This is exactly how you would describe the life of Tony Farmer; the once highly ranked basketball prospect that blew his chance.
From basketball glory to prison cell
That is a name you probably never heard of or at least forgot, as he was once a high school basketball star from Ohio in the early 2010s. At 6'7'', Farmer was a versatile small forward that could do it all on the court, making him one of the nation's top basketball recruits in 2013 and just a year away from becoming a college star and potential NBA prospect.
But it all came crashing down for Farmer after his junior season in high school. A 17-year old Tony made a wrong decision that drastically changed his life. Back in 2012, Farmer was accused of kidnapping and assaulting his ex-girlfriend, with clear video footage to back it up.
He did a horrible thing and was guilty, but a 3-year sentence for a teenager in the heat of the moment was a very tough pill to swallow -- Farmer even fainted in court, creating the infamous "Bruh" meme.
Even though he had numerous family members, friends, and even the victim that defended him during the day of the trial, calling him a good guy who made one mistake, it wouldn't make any difference as he was off to prison.
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Bruh meme
In a matter of seconds, Farmer's whole life and basketball career were ruined. Even though he was put into an unbelievably tough situation, Farmer faced the consequences and served his time, coming out of prison three years later in 2015, apparently a changed man.
Life after prison
Just two months after being released from prison, Farmer would sign with Lincoln College, a junior college in Illinois. It was far from a top tier program, but considering he just came from a three-year prison sentence, it was a good starting point. But it would end shortly, as he was denied college admission.
Farmer would keep his head up and continue to chase his dream, eventually earning a spot on the Lee College team, where he showed he still got what it takes. Farmer was balling out, averaging 16 points and 9 rebounds per game in his first year back on the court. Next year he would be even better and improve his stats in every major category. After that season, Farmer declared for the 2017 NBA Draft, but he went undrafted.
His talents would take him overseas to play professionally. The last team he was a part of is a Mexican team named Halcones de Ciudad Obregón. But due to the stoppage of the league because of the Covid-19 situation, Farmer returned home, where he has stayed since then.
Even though he had huge support behind his back to rise again, it seems that Farmer blew it once again, after he had a warrant issued for his arrest back in September 2020 for domestic abuse battery. So everyone who believed Farmer was a changed man was wrong.
