The NBA suspended Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter on Wednesday for allegedly betting on games, passing information to gamblers and claiming illness to influence betting. Announced.
The 6-foot-10 power forward and center is the younger brother of Denver Nuggets sharpshooter Michael Porter Jr. and has spent much of his pro career in the NBA’s developing G League.
The 24-year-old Missouri native appeared in 26 games with Toronto this season, averaging 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. He also appeared in 11 games with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2020-21, averaging 2.0 points and 1.3 rebounds.
“Nothing is more important to fans, teams, and everyone involved in the sport than protecting the integrity of NBA competition, which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violation of the rules of the game is the most important,” NBA Commissioner Adam said. He will receive severe punishment.” Silver said in a statement.
The NBA announced that an investigation found that Porter engaged in extensive gambling, contrary to league regulations.
He allegedly “disclosed confidential information” about his health to someone he knew to be an NBA bettor ahead of a March 20 game.
Porter became ill during the game and played just three minutes, the league announced.
An $80,000 bet was placed online before the March 20th game that would have paid out $1.1 million if the result was underperformance, but due to its unusually high value, the stake was “frozen” and “paid out”. The NBA announced,
The league said Porter bet on NBA games at least 13 times using an “official online betting account” while he was with the G League Raptors from January to March.
Those bets ranged from $15 to $22,000 for a total of $54,094, according to the NBA.
The league said none of those bets were on games in which he played. The league said three of those bets were parlays, requiring multiple correct outcomes, but one was betting on Toronto to lose.
In the end, he was able to make a profit of $21,965 from all these bets.
The National Basketball Players Association said it would “ensure Jontay has access to the resources he needs during this time.”
However, the association also reiterated its support for the NBA’s gambling guidelines.
“Compliance with the league’s gambling policy is paramount to preserving the integrity of our athletes and protecting the future of our sport,” the NBPA said in a statement. “The NBPA will continue to provide training materials to all players to ensure they understand how to properly navigate the complex sports betting environment.”
Porter is believed to be the first NBA player to be suspended for gambling since Jack Molinas of the Fort Wayne Pistons was suspended in 1954 for allegedly betting on games.
“While legal sports betting creates transparency that helps identify suspicious or anomalous activity, this issue also raises important questions about the adequacy of the regulatory framework currently in place,” Silver said. “
Wednesday’s announcement appeared to surprise the team.
“We don’t want this for our kids, we don’t want this for our team, we don’t want this for our league, that’s for sure,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri said. “My first reaction was obviously surprise, because I don’t think any of us, probably any of us, expected this to happen.”
The league was hit by a gambling scandal in 2007, when disgraced referee Tim Donaghy pleaded guilty to two felonies related to betting on NBA games and secretly advising professional gamblers.
Gambling was once completely taboo in professional and high-level college sports, with legal betting only allowed in Nevada.
But sports betting has been in full swing since 2018, when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law that required states to ban such gambling.
Sports betting is currently legal and operating in 38 states and the District of Columbia. In 30 states and capital cities, bettors can place bets with the tap of a mobile phone.
