NBA
What will the NBA’s decision be on Raptors player Jontay Porter, brother of Nuggets Michael Porter Jr., on his betting scandal?
The NBA is investigating the Toronto Raptors player for illegal betting fraud against himself, which could result in a ban from the league.
Everything indicates that Jontay Porter will not play in the NBA again. Following the league owners meeting, commissioner Adam Silver stated, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, that the Toronto Raptors forward could be expelled if he is found guilty of the betting scandal surrounding him.
“I don’t think there’s anything more serious in the league when it comes to gambling and betting on our games, and that’s a direct involvement of a player,” Silver said. “The investigation is ongoing, but the consequences could be very severe.”
The NBA is currently investigating the Raptors forward after DraftKings Sportsbook reported unusual betting activities during two games in which Porter played. The games in question were held on January 26 against the Los Angeles Clippers and March 20 against the Sacramento Kings in 2024.
In the first game against the Clippers, the most lucrative bet on DraftKings was on Porter’s three-pointers, but he did not attempt a single long-distance shot as he had to leave the game briefly due to an eye injury.
The second game was against the Kings, in which Porter played only for three minutes. However, his +/—points and rebounds contributed to the biggest gains despite his attempting only one shot and securing two rebounds before leaving the game.
NBA Betting History
In 2007, the NBA was hit with a major betting scandal involving one of its referees, Tim Donaghy. Donaghy admitted to participating in bets on games he officiated during four seasons from 2003 to 2007. He reportedly provided information to bookmakers, including details about players’ injuries and his preferred methods of officiating certain players.
Donaghy’s actions were discovered during an FBI investigation into illegal sports betting operations. In 2008, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison and three years of supervision. The scandal raised serious questions about the integrity of the NBA and its officials. It prompted the league to implement new measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.