Michael Porter Jr. is speaking candidly about the growing impact of sports betting on NBA players, warning that the problem is “only going to get worse” as gambling becomes more ingrained in the sport. On the ‘One Night with Steiny’ podcast, the Brooklyn Nets forward described how financial pressures, shady temptations, and fan anger over bets can affect players, even to the point of receiving death threats.
“Obviously, my brother is in his situation, Malik Beasley is going through his situation, Terry Rozier is in hot water,” said Porter Jr. “But the whole sports gambling thing is only going to get worse, and we really do get death threats. You can’t win anymore because if I do too good I’m messing with people who bet on the under, and if they bet on my over… so you’re always messing up some people’s money.”
Sports betting isn’t even legal in all 50 states, but it’s already having a massive impact on how the fans interact with the NBA and its players. For Porter Jr., the struggles are all too real, and so is the temptation to game the system.
“Think about if you can get all your homies rich by telling them, ‘yo bet $10,000 on my under this one game, I’m gonna act like I got an injury. I’m gonna come out after three minutes.’ They all get a little bag because you did it in one game. That is not okay, but some people probably think like that; they come from nothing, and all their homies have nothing,” Porter Jr. continued. “And they’re like ‘Bro, if I come out of this game after three minutes and y’all all get my under, we’re all getting a little bag…'”
While the NBA has actively embraced the rise and integration of gambling/sports betting in the league, there are a number of ongoing incidents right now involving NBA players. Starting with Jonte Porter (Michael’s brother), his gambling addiction has been recently exposed to the public, and it has shed light on just how problematic the practice can become.
Malik Beasley is also facing serious scrutiny. The veteran guard is currently under investigation for his alleged involvement in gambling activity related to NBA games and player prop bets. He was on the verge of signing a new contract with the Pistons, but now he’s unsigned as he tries to clear his name.
Finally, there’s the case against Terry Rozier. He got into trouble last month after a pro gambler was discovered with 30 bets on Rozier over 45 minutes. They claim that he was intentionally altering and manipulating the game to earn big payouts.
Porter Jr.’s comments pull back the curtain on an uncomfortable truth: the NBA’s embrace of legalized betting comes with serious risks, both for players and the integrity of the game. As more money pours into the industry and betting culture grows louder, the pressure on athletes will only intensify. For the league, the challenge now is figuring out how to protect players while ensuring the sport remains fair and credible in the eyes of the public.
