Brian Banks to appear on ‘Tonight Show’ with Jay Leno

Although Brian Banks’ main focus is to reignite his football career, the 26-year-old couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to trade quips with talk show host Jay Leno.

Banks is scheduled to appear on the “Tonight Show” after the local news tonight before he flies to Seattle for his first NFL tryout Thursday.

Banks, who was exonerated of rape charges on May 24 in Long Beach, has been kept secluded from the media by his attorney, Justin Brooks.

But for Leno, an exception was made.

“This is the one he wanted to do,” Brooks said of Banks appearing on the “Tonight Show,” “and it’s close and his parents wanted to go.”

Brooks said he has turned away virtually all other media requests with Banks.

“This is the most important week of Brian’s life,” Brooks said. “I want him to concentrate on football.”

For Banks, who served five years in prison and was on parole and forced to register as a sex offender for a crime he didn’t commit, the Thursday tryout in Seattle is the realization of a dream.

Banks was a middle linebacker with a football scholarship offer to USC when he was accused of rape while attending summer school at Poly High School in 2002.

Facing the possibility of 41 years-to-life in prison if convicted of rape, sodomy and kidnapping, Brooks agreed instead to plead guilty to one count of rape.

Last year, Banks’ accuser, Wanetta Gibson, recanted her testimony and the charges against Banks were reversed.

(Source: phroyd)