Greg Anthony to get charge dropped

WASHINGTON -- Basketball analyst Greg Anthony will have a soliciting prostitution charge dropped if he does 32 hours of community service and stays out of trouble for four months.

Anthony, his attorney and a prosecutor told a D.C. Superior Court judge Wednesday that they had agreed to the deal, called a deferred prosecution agreement, which is common in low-level misdemeanor cases in the city. Anthony, 47, will be allowed to complete the community service hours in Florida, where he lives.

The former NBA player spoke briefly in court to acknowledge he wanted to enter into the agreement and understood it. Both Anthony and his attorney, Danny Onorato, declined to comment after the hearing.

Anthony was arrested at a Washington hotel Jan. 16 on a charge of soliciting prostitution. A court document describing the arrest says he responded to an escort ad authorities placed on classifieds website Backpage.com and arranged "a date" with an undercover officer. When Anthony met the undercover officer at a hotel room, she told him she would charge him $80 for intercourse, the document says. Asked "you want me to dress up," Anthony allegedly responded "oh yeah."

He was suspended by CBS and Turner Sports following his arrest, and he apologized in a statement to his wife, family and colleagues, calling his actions a "lapse of judgment."

Anthony played 11 seasons, from 1991-92 to 2001-02, in the NBA with six teams, including the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers.

He had been in the Washington area to announce a basketball game between Michigan State and Maryland.