KU’s Dedric Lawson denies allegation that he didn’t pay $88 bar tab in Memphis

Kansas forward Dedric Lawson was accused of not paying for an $88.20 bar tab in his hometown of Memphis but told a radio station that he was wrongfully given the bill.

According to a police report obtained by the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Lawson, a 6-foot-9 transfer, was at Bar Louie in Memphis at 1:30 a.m. Thursday. A waitress, who said she went to high school with Lawson, accused him of not paying the tab for his food and drinks.

Lawson, 19, denied the allegation during a radio interview on Memphis’ ESPN 92.9 on Thursday, saying the waitress who accused him was an ex-girlfriend. He said he paid for the two $5.25 drinks that he ordered for his girlfriend and cousin with $12.

“I’m getting accused of something that I didn’t do,” Lawson told ESPN 92.9. “If I ordered the drinks, I would have paid for the drinks.”

Lawson said he was wrongfully given the tab for other patrons.

KU coach Bill Self said that he had discussed the allegations with Dedric on Thursday.

“I spoke with Dedric. He explained, and I’m totally comfortable with it,” Self said.

The Bar Louie location in Memphis released a statement Thursday to The Star.

“Regarding Mr. Lawson’s visit to Bar Louie on Wednesday night, Mr. Lawson is a great patron of our restaurant, and we appreciate his business,” said general manager Sean Taylor.

“We look forward to having him back as a valued guest.”

There have been other incidents involving Dedric and brother K.J. since they committed to KU in early April.

K.J. took to Snapchat to vent about former coach Tubby Smith, while Dedric was suspended from KU’s exhibition trip to Italy for his role in a practice altercation.

Though specific details were never released by the KU basketball team, Dedric was asked during his radio interview Thursday about the reason for his suspension.

“It was really nothing. It was just a situation that I didn’t handle well,” he told ESPN 92.9.

Dedric was then specifically asked about teammate Mitch Lightfoot, who sustained a broken nose in practice last month.

“He’s good,” Dedric said. “It was a basketball play that went wrong.”

Dedric told ESPN 92.9 that the plan was to return to Lawrence from Memphis on Saturday.

This story was originally published August 17, 2017 at 2:14 PM with the headline "KU’s Dedric Lawson denies allegation that he didn’t pay $$88 bar tab in Memphis."