ROANNE, France (AFP) - Former NBA player Gary Alexander was sentenced in absentia to one month in prison here for having beaten up a teammate in his French club side in a pique of jealousy.

Former NBA player Gary Alexander, seen here in 2005, was sentenced in absentia to one month in prison here for having beaten up a team-mate in his French club side in a pique of jealousy.[AFP]

Alexander, 37, the Spanish-American former captain of the professional Roanne team, had been sacked and assaulted the club's new captain, American Mike Bauer, in February.

Bauer, 25, suffered injuries to his face and arms and was off the court for two weeks.

"Gary, who was in decline, was jealous of Mike, who was on the up, and there were verbal altercations between them," Roanne team manager Vincent Cavelier told police during the investigation.

Alexander, who played in the NBA for Miami and Cleveland, played in France for Strasbourg, Gravelines and Le Havre before arriving at Roanne at the start of the 2004-2005 season.

Bauer has decided his future does not lie with Roanne, having signed a pre-contract with rival Pro-A club Pau-Orthez.