NBA player cleared of sex assault

Philadelphia prosecutors have declined to file sexual-assault charges against Memphis Grizzlies guard Marko Jaric, saying that that the accusations against him "lack prosecutorial merit."

"I'm glad everything is over," Jaric said yesterday in Boston, where the Grizzlies were facing the Celtics last night. "I'm glad all the facts are [out]. All I want is to focus on the game and get a few more wins."

Philadelphia police Lt. Frank Vanore confirmed yesterday that their special-victims unit investigated an allegation against an NBA player. Vanore would not disclose the player's name, team or nature of the allegation.

Jaric's attorney, Bruce L. Castor Jr., said he had been notified that his client was being investigated in connection with an incident involving an unidentified woman in Philadelphia on Feb. 11, when the Grizzlies were in town to play the 76ers.

"Persons in Marko's position are often the target of malicious statements and it is not unusual for the police to be asked to investigate," Castor said. "However, these allegations were proved to be completely false, and while Marko is extremely unsettled by these accusations, he is happy that the law enforcement authorities have cleared him of any criminal conduct and the issue can now be put to rest."

Jaric, 30, a 6-foot-7 guard from Serbia, reportedly married Victoria's Secret model Adriana Lima over All-Star weekend, Feb. 13-15. *