NBA banned Jontay Porter for life on Wednesday after finding that he leaked confidential details to bettors and gambled on games, including betting on the Raptors to lose.
Commissioner Adam Silver has banned Porter, making him the second person to receive such punishment for breaking league rules. The other person was Donald Sterling, the former owner of Los Angeles Clippers, who was banned in 2014 shortly after Silver became the Commissioner.
Silver described Porter’s actions as “blatant” when he made the announcement about the ban.
Silver stated, “Protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, teams, and everyone involved with our sport is of utmost importance. That's why Jontay Porter’s clear violations of our gaming rules are met with the most severe punishment.”
The probe began when the league was notified by licensed sports betting operators and a betting market monitoring organization about unusual betting patterns related to Porter's performance in a game against Sacramento on March 20. It was discovered that Porter had disclosed his health status to a bettor before the game, and that another individual, known to be an NBA bettor, placed an $80,000 bet that Porter would not achieve certain numbers in parlays through an online sports book. This bet could have won $1.1 million.
Porter left the game after less than three minutes, claiming illness, and none of his statistics matched the totals set in the parlay. The $80,000 bet was frozen and not paid out, and the NBA subsequently launched an investigation.
Raptors President Masai Ujiri expressed surprise and concern, saying, “You don’t want this for the kid, you don’t want this for our team and we don’t want this for our league, that’s for sure.” This was said in Toronto shortly before the NBA announced Porter’s ban.
Following the NBA's announcement of the ban, the Raptors stated that they fully support the league’s decision to ban Jontay Porter from the NBA and appreciate the quick resolution to the investigation. They also confirmed their continued cooperation with ongoing inquiries.
The league has partnerships and relationships with over two dozen gaming companies, many of which advertise during NBA games. Silver has long been a supporter of legal sports wagering, although the league has strict rules for players and employees regarding betting.
Porter's actions were in violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which states: “Any Player who, directly or indirectly, wagers money or anything of value on any game or event in the Association or in the NBA G League shall, on being charged with such wagering, be given an opportunity to answer such charges after due notice, and the decision of the Commissioner shall be final, binding, and conclusive and unappealable.”
Last week, Silver warned that a ban was possible, stating that what Porter was accused of represented a “cardinal sin” in the NBA. Porter has not commented since the investigation began and did not play for the Raptors again, as he was listed as out for all of Toronto’s remaining games for the season citing personal reasons.
The league found that Porter, who is the brother of Denver Nuggets player Michael Porter Jr., made at least 13 bets on NBA games using someone else's betting account. The bets ranged from $15 to $22,000. The total amount bet was $54,094, and he won $76,059, making a profit of $21,965.
The wagers did not include any games in which Porter played. However, three of the bets were multi-game parlays, including one where Porter bet on the Raptors to lose, even though he wasn't playing in the games involved. All three bets were lost.
Silver mentioned that while legal sports betting helps identify suspicious activity, this case also raises concerns about the adequacy of the current regulatory framework, including the types of bets available on games and players. He stated that they will work with industry stakeholders to protect the league and the game.
Porter was on a two-way contract, so he could play for both the Raptors and their affiliate in the G League. His salary for this year was about $410,000. If the Raptors had signed him to a standard NBA contract next season, as seemed possible, his salary would have been over $2 million.
The 24-year-old Porter averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 26 games, with five starts. He also played in 11 games for Memphis in the 2020-21 season.
ESPN first reported the investigation, which focused on Porter's performance in games on Jan. 26 and March 20. In both games, Porter briefly played before leaving due to injury or illness. He played 4 minutes and 24 seconds against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first game, then 2 minutes and 43 seconds against Sacramento in the second game.
In both of those games, Porter did not come close to meeting the prop-wager lines for points, rebounds, and 3-pointers that bettors could play at some sportsbooks. For instance, one set of prop wagers for Porter for the Clippers game was set at 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists; he finished with no points, three rebounds, and one assist. For the Kings game, they were around 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds; Porter finished that game with no points and two rebounds.
The league stated that its investigation is ongoing and may lead to further discoveries, which will be shared with federal prosecutors.
