Federal prosecutors are now investigating Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier for his potential involvement in an illegal gambling scheme, marking another troubling case in the NBA’s ongoing battle with sports betting scandals, as per WSJ.
The investigation follows the high-profile Jontay Porter case, which resulted in a lifetime NBA ban for the former Toronto Raptors player after he admitted to manipulating his performance to benefit gamblers. Authorities now believe that some of the same individuals involved in Porter’s betting conspiracy may have also targeted Rozier in March 2023, when he was still playing for the Charlotte Hornets.
The game in question took place on March 23, 2023, when Rozier and the Hornets faced the New Orleans Pelicans. At the time, Rozier was one of Charlotte’s best players, averaging 21 points per game and playing 35 minutes a night. However, during this particular game, Rozier played just nine minutes before leaving with a foot injury and never returning.
Sports betting watchdog U.S. Integrity flagged the game after detecting unusual betting patterns on Rozier’s under statistics—essentially wagers that he would fail to meet certain performance benchmarks, such as points, rebounds, and assists. The bets were so suspicious that several sportsbooks stopped accepting wagers on Rozier’s stat lines before the game even began.
At the time, the NBA launched an internal investigation but found no violations of league rules. Now, with federal authorities stepping in, the scope of the scandal appears far broader than initially suspected. In response to these latest allegations, the NBA has released a statement acknowledging the investigation:
“The league conducted an investigation and did not find a violation of NBA rules. We are now aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York related to this matter and have been cooperating with that investigation.”
The Jontay Porter case exposed a criminal gambling ring that manipulated player performances to cash in on bets. Porter admitted in court that he agreed to exit games early to ensure that bettors profiting from his underbets would win. His cooperation led to charges against five other individuals, with three of them already pleading guilty.
Now, authorities are looking for links between the Rozier game and the Porter scandal. If evidence surfaces that Rozier was knowingly involved in manipulating his performance, he could face serious consequences, including a suspension, legal action, and a potential ban from the NBA.
Rozier, who is now playing for the Miami Heat, has not been charged and has not commented on the investigation. The NBA is cooperating fully with federal authorities, and the Heat have referred media inquiries to the league’s official statement.
While Rozier continues to play this season, averaging 28 minutes per game, the looming investigation could impact both his career and the Heat’s future plans. If prosecutors uncover wrongdoing, Rozier could become the second active NBA player caught in a betting scandal within a year—potentially forcing the league to implement stricter regulations on player gambling policies.
With sports betting becoming increasingly intertwined with professional sports, the NBA faces a major challenge in protecting the integrity of the game. The league has already taken steps by limiting “underbets” on lesser-known players, but the Rozier case suggests that even high-profile names may not be immune to the influence of illegal gambling operations.
As the investigation unfolds, all eyes will be on Rozier, the NBA, and federal authorities to see how deep this scandal really goes.
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