Ben Gordon detained and sent to Harlem hospital after reportedly trying to stab random people with sewing needles

Former 11-year NBA veteran Ben Gordon has reportedly been detained and taken to a hospital in Harlem, New York. This came after he was seen attempting to stab people in the streets of Harlem with sewing needles, via Cameron Giles AKA rapper Cam’Ron.

“(I’m) outside of Harlem hospital where former NBA player and sixth man of the year, Ben Gordon, seems to be having some mental issues. Trying to stab people. Weapon of choice, sewing needles,” Giles said.

Giles then proceeded to show alleged footage of Gordon being detained, while providing commentary.

“Yes, that’s Ben Gordon. Former NBA player, 39-year-old was detained outside a Harlem apartment building this morning," Giles said.

Giles also shared footage of Gordon at the hospital where he allegedly tried to make an escape.

“Police took him to Harlem Hospital, where he tried to make a brazen escape and leave the hospital,” Giles said.

Giles later shared some footage of interviews he conducted with witnesses from the street as well.

This likely has to do with some sort of mental illness given Ben Gordon’s personal history. So hopefully for the sake of all involved, Gordon can get the help and treatment he needs.

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Ben Gordon’s previous mental health struggles and legal troubles

Ben Gordon during his arrest in Chicago in last month

Ben Gordon’s recent alleged needle-stabbing spree isn’t the only time he’s had a run-in with the law recently. Gordon also made headlines in October for striking his 10-year-old son at a New York City airport.

Last month, Gordon was also arrested for striking two McDonald’s security guards in Chicago after they tried escorting him out of the restaurant.

As for his struggles with mental health, Gordon wrote an article for The Players’ Tribune back in 2020 titled “Where Is My Mind.” During the piece, he went in-depth discussing his struggles with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

“There was a point in time when I thought about killing myself every single day for about six weeks,” Gordon wrote.

“I would be up on the roof of my apartment building at four o’ clock in the morning, just pacing to the edge of the ledge, looking over — pacing back and forth, back and forth — just thinking, I’m really about to do it, B. I’m about to escape from all this s**t,” Gordon continued.

Later on, Gordon wrote about his intense panic attacks.

“I started having panic attacks that were so intense they had a weight to them,” Gordon said.

“You know what it felt like? It literally felt like this black cloak got thrown on top of me, and it was suffocating me. But not just physically. It was suffocating my soul. All I could do to relieve the pressure was to sit on the floor and scream at the top of my lungs,” Gordon continued.

Gordon continued on in the article about how his struggles dated back to his playing days. He also wrote about how he was hospitalized before.

“It got so bad that they had me committed to a mental hospital, and the problem was that I didn’t even understand why it was happening,” Gordon said.

Finally, Gordon issued a warning that anybody can struggle with mental illness.

“Mental illness touches everybody. Every community, every person. Either you or somebody you love is going to be touched by it at some point,” Gordon said.

For Ben Gordon's full Players' Tribune piece, click here.