Former NBA star Steve Francis cited for public intoxication after writing essay on struggles with alcohol abuse

Former NBA All-Star Steve Francis was arrested for public intoxication Sunday night in Burbank, Calif., according to multiple reports.

Burbank police say they arrested Francis for public intoxication after responding to a report of an unruly patron in a hotel bar. Francis was taken into custody, issued a citation and released Monday morning.

Francis, a three-time NBA All-Star during his playing days, opened up about his troubled childhood dealing drugs and his struggles with alcohol abuse earlier this month in an essay published by The Players' Tribune.

"What happened to Steve Francis? I was drinking heavily, is what happened," he wrote. "And that can be just as bad. In the span of a few years I lost basketball, I lost my whole identity, and I lost my stepfather, who committed suicide."

Francis, 41, was the NBA's Rookie of the Year in 2000. His career ended with the Houston Rockets in 2007-08 and included stops with the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks.

--Field Level Media