SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News/AP) – Toronto Raptors two-way player Jontay Porter received a lifetime ban from the NBA on Wednesday for gambling. Porter is just the second person and first player to be banned by Commissioner Adam Silver for violating league policies.
The decision comes after Porter was found to have disclosed confidential information to sports bettors to aid their bets. Ahead of Toronto’s game on March 20, Porter informed an NBA bettor of his own health status, leading to an $80,000 bet that he would not eclipse numbers set for him in sportsbooks. Porter took himself out of the game due to an illness after playing just three minutes. The bet was ultimately frozen and led to the NBA’s investigation of Porter..
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver condemned the actions of Porter and stated that integrity holds the utmost importance in the league.
“There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams and everyone associated with our sport, which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment,” Silver said.
Later findings saw that Porter had also placed at least 13 bets of his own on NBA games using someone else’s account. The total sum of money placed by Porter was $54,094, with each bet ranging between $14 and $22,000. These wagers were placed on NBA games Porter did not play in, however, three included the Toronto Raptors, the team Porter played for, to lose.
Raptors President Masai Ujiri commented that the team itself was just as surprised by the news as those reading it online.
“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,” Ujiri said Wednesday, shortly before the NBA’s announcement of Porter’s ban. “My first reaction is obviously surprise, because none of us, I don’t think anybody, saw this coming.”
Throughout his two-year career, Porter averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assist in just 37 games, only mustering five starts. The NBA has said its investigation “remains open and may result in further findings.”