Former NBA player Jontay Porter, who was banned from the NBA for betting, has been revealed to have been texting bettors during games with updates about what he was going to do. Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic reported that Porter would send text messages to bettors about his activity, whether that be missing games, leaving games early, or attempting shots late in the game during blowouts.
“Porter told his co-conspirators that he would take himself out early of a Raptors game on Jan. 26 because of an eye injury and that he would leave a March 20 game early by saying he was too ill to keep playing, according to federal prosecutors.”
“Porter did this, prosecutors said, as a way to clear his own “significant gambling debts” and to help the co-conspirators win prop bets placed on him not reaching the over in certain statistical categories.”
Jontay Porter reportedly used to text bettors during games to provide them with latest updates:
“I went back to locker room to get eye checked on”
“Idk if imma play much more”
“I’m not starting second half
“But if it’s garbage time I will shoot a million shots.”
In addition to missing games or leaving games early, Porter also noted to a co-conspirator that he was going to take many shots during garbage time when he got minutes to close the game. Along with that, he also informed him that he had his eye examined and didn’t anticipate returning to the game any time soon.
“Porter texted one man during a Jan. 22 Raptors game that he had been taken into the locker room to have his eye examined and that he didn’t anticipate playing more that day and that he wouldn’t start the second half — he had started the game for the Raptors. ‘But if it’s garbage time I will shoot a million shots’, he followed up.”
“Hennan was also sent along another message from Porter that read: ‘Hit unders for the big numbers. I told [Co-Conspirator 2] no blocks no steals. I’m going to play first 2-3 minute stint off the bench then when I get subbed out tell them my eye killing me again’.”
If proven to be true, it shuts down any hopes that Porter may have had about returning to the NBA. With such conclusive evidence showing that he was conspiring with gamblers and bettors to defraud the NBA and betting agencies, there is almost no chance that Porter’s ban from the league would be overturned.
Porter pled guilty last summer to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. And with more evidence being presented as the government hunts for Porter’s co-conspirators, this saga will evolve further. Jontay Porter allegedly partook in this fraudulent activity to help clear some major gambling debts that he had accrued over the years.
The NBA has been extremely strict in the past about players taking part in gambling activities. The use of insider and privileged team information to place bets, or help others do the same is strictly prohibited, and any player found to be in violation of that is punished severely, just like Jontay was.
Porter is the brother of former NBA champion and current Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr. There is no indication that Michael Porter Jr. was involved in this situation in any capacity.
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