Jontay Porter, the forward for the Toronto Raptors, has been permanently banned from the NBA as of Wednesday, following an investigation that revealed his involvement in betting on league games.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver referred to the act as a grave transgression.
Porter, who divided his season between the NBA and the G League, was found to have disclosed sensitive personal fitness information to a gambler and deliberately sat out part of a game to affect betting outcomes.
Adam Silver emphasized the critical importance of maintaining the integrity of NBA competition, stating that Porter’s flagrant breach of the rules warranted the harshest possible sanction.
The investigation into Porter, the younger sibling of Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr., began in March after unusual betting patterns were detected in games featuring Porter.
The 24-year-old has been off the court since March 22, which aligns with the timeline of an ESPN report detailing the suspected betting irregularities.
Findings from the investigation revealed that Porter had shared private health information with a known NBA bettor before a game on March 20.
This led to a significant bet being placed on Porter’s underperformance, which was subsequently frozen due to the abnormal betting activity and Porter’s actions during the game.
Moreover, Porter was found to have placed bets on NBA games himself, using an associate’s account to wager amounts ranging from $15 to $22,000, totaling $54,094, and resulting in winnings of $21,965.
While none of these bets involved games he played in, some included wagers against the Raptors.
Porter’s season statistics include an average of 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds over 26 games.
Raptors President Masai Ujiri expressed his shock at the investigation’s findings, highlighting the negative impact such actions have on the individual, the team, and the league as a whole.
The incident comes in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to legalize sports betting in many states, and amidst other gambling-related controversies in major league sports.
