Pistons Send Bedford Back to Drug Center

Detroit Pistons center William Bedford has returned to a substance abuse center in California for failing to comply with an aftercare treatment schedule, team officials said.

Bedford, 24, returned Thursday to the Adult Substance Abuse Program in Van Nuys under the advice of the team.

Both the team and his agent said Bedford was not improving and required additional treatment, though they noted he has not taken drugs.

Bedford spent 105 days at the center last year. He was nearly reinstated by the Pistons last Thanksgiving but lost the chance to play again when he failed to return a phone call to a counselor.

That incident was the second offense in his rehabilitation. A third would result in his being banned from the NBA for a minimum of 2 years.