THE SIDELINES : Tarpley Rejoins Mavericks After Passing Drug, Alcohol Tests

Roy Tarpley of the Dallas Mavericks showed no evidence of drugs or alcohol in his system in test results made available today, and he will be allowed to rejoin the NBA team, which suspended him after he missed a workout Friday.

The test results were released by Dr. Dave Lewis, medical director of the league-sanctioned ASAP Family Treatment Program.

“I feel real bad about this,” Tarpley said in a statement issued by the Mavericks. “I need to work on being a responsible person. I should have been at practice. I should have called. I paid a price and now I’m glad it’s over. I said I didn’t take drugs and I didn’t. I’m excited about getting back with the team.”

Tarpley, who has twice been suspended in connection with drug problems, would have faced a lifetime ban had he flunked the latest test. He told team officials that he overslept Friday and was too embarrassed to call them.

Tarpley submitted to urinalysis on Friday night. He told Coach Richie Adubato and General Manager Norm Sonju that his test would be clean of banned substances.

“He was extremely disappointed in what he did, frustrated at his lack of judgement . . . and said right away, ‘I want to be tested right now,’ ” Sonju said of Tarpley’s reaction Friday evening.

Tarpley, the team’s leading rebounder and third-leading scorer, was suspended in 1987 and in 1989 for violating the NBA’s drug abuse policy.