The NBA has concluded its investigation into the alleged gambling activities of Jontay Porter, resulting in the harshest possible consequence for the Toronto Raptors center.
Porter has received a lifetime ban from the NBA, as announced by the league on Wednesday.
“Maintaining the integrity of NBA competition is paramount for our fans, our teams, and all stakeholders in our sport, which is why we are imposing the most severe sanction on Jontay Porter for his flagrant breach of our gambling policies,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated.
The NBA initiated its investigation after being notified about unusual betting patterns on prop bets related to Porter. The focus was on two specific games: the Toronto Raptors’ January 26 matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers and their March 20 game against the Sacramento Kings. In both instances, there was notable betting activity on Porter not meeting his expected performance metrics, and in both games, Porter exited early due to injuries, confirming the under bets.
The NBA’s investigation revealed that prior to the March 20 game, Porter had leaked sensitive information about his health to someone known to be an NBA bettor. Subsequently, an associate of Porter placed a parlay bet of $80,000 on him underperforming, which would have resulted in a $1.1 million payout. The bet was subsequently flagged and frozen.
The investigation found that Porter placed 13 bets himself, with total payouts amounting to $76,059 and net winnings of $21,965. Among these, three were parlays that bet on the Raptors losing, although none of the bets were on games in which Porter participated.
Porter, a former Missouri college player, joined the Memphis Grizzlies as an undrafted free agent in 2020. After making 11 appearances for the Grizzlies, he was waived and subsequently played several seasons in the NBA G League. Porter secured a two-way contract with the Raptors last December, where he averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game across 26 appearances this season, last playing on March 22.
Porter is the younger brother of Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., who has supported him throughout the investigation.
