The risk existed and the ax has just fallen for Jontay Porter : he is banned for life by the NBA ! Targeted by an investigation for three weeks, the player of Raptors was accused of having tampered with his performances in several matches, by underperforming, in order to validate sports bets, and the league's investigation ultimately proved conclusive, with the help of bookmakers.
Thus, the brother of Michael Porter Jr. would have given information on his health to several long-time bettors and one of them took the opportunity to pocket… 1.1 million dollars, after having bet “barely” 80,000 dollars on a poor performance by the power forward on March 20 against Sacramento (only 2 rebounds and no other statistics in three short minutes of play).
Ultimately, this sum of money was not paid to the bettor since the bet was frozen, being considered too suspicious, and we also learned that Jontay Porter placed thirteen sports bets on NBA matches in which he did not participate. (including one of “his” Raptors, which he saw… lose!), betting $54,000 in total and pocketing $76,000 upon arrival. That’s $22,000 in net earnings.
Adam Silver has therefore hit very hard, as he suggested last week and the 24-year-old player will now have to continue his career elsewhere than in the United States, joining the list of life bans from the league. Such as John Drew, Eddie Johnson and Chris Washburn, addicted to hard drugs, or Jack Molinas, who also mixed sports betting and performances.
| Jontay Porter | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2020-21 | SAME | 11 | 5 | 53.3 | 37.5 | 60.0 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 2.0 |
| 2023-24 | TOR | 26 | 14 | 38.5 | 33.3 | 83.3 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 4.4 |
| Total | 37 | 11 | 40.3 | 33.8 | 78.3 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 3.7 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
