Police report: Rebels’ Goodman took shoes, cash and video games

By Taylor Bern

Monday, Aug. 26, 2013 | 10:30 a.m.

UNLV sophomore Savon Goodman, a forward on the men’s basketball team, stole a pair of shoes, $500 and 26 video games in May from a friend’s apartment just north of campus, according to a Metro Police report released today.

Goodman was charged Aug. 15 in Las Vegas Township Justice Court with conspiracy to commit burglary, burglary and grand larceny. The latter two are felonies.

On Saturday, UNLV men’s basketball coach Dave Rice announced that Goodman would not play this season.

“We are aware of the situation and are gathering more information,” Rice told the Sun. “I will not have any specific comment until we know more.

“Having said that, regardless of the resolution, at the very least, Savon Goodman will not play this season so he can focus on getting his priorities in order.”

The Metro report outlines the following details of the May 18 incident:

Goodman went into a friend’s apartment in a complex in the 3800 block of Swenson Street. He was there without permission and fled through a patio door when the resident heard noises and went to investigate. The victim said Goodman was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with the hood over his head, but Goodman’s eyes and face were clearly visible. Goodman and the victim made eye contact.

After Goodman left, the victim continued to check the apartment when he heard additional footsteps and then the front door unlock, open and quickly close.

The initial call to police came from another resident who saw suspicious activity while walking home. She told police she saw a black male standing outside the victim’s apartment and heard him make bird noises — “Caw, caw” — when she approached.

She then saw two black males walking slowly away from the patio door. Knowing neither of the two were residents of that apartment, the witness called police.

The missing shoes, a pair of Nike LeBron X “Cutting Jade” sneakers in size 13, belonged to the victim’s roommate, who was not home at the time of the burglary. The cash was in the shoes.

Limited sizes of those shoes are available on amazon.com starting at $250. After the initial report, the victim realized the video games were missing, too, and he placed their estimated value at $885.

No other charges have been filed in the case.

Goodman, who is scheduled to be arraigned Friday in court, is not kicked off the team, though that could change pending the ongoing case. He was expected to attend classes for the start of UNLV’s fall semester today.

As a freshman, Goodman appeared in 27 games, averaging 3.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. He had an excellent summer on the court during the Desert Reign ProCity League and figured to get a larger role in the rotation as a sophomore.

His absence on the court leaves more room for incoming freshmen Christian Wood and Jamal Aytes. Wood, a Findlay Prep product, is a 6-foot-11 stretch four, meaning he can play inside or stretch the defense out. Aytes, who committed one week ago, is 6-foot-6 but has the weight to bully opponents in the post or hit midrange shots.

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.