The NBA has remained largely silent as it has investigated misconduct related to prop bets on Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter's stats, but commissioner Adam Silver on Wednesday spoke to reporters after the board meeting. He mentioned this suspicion during the Q&A.Silver called Porter has been charged with a “mortal crime” in basketball and acknowledged that the possible disciplinary action for his involvement in gambling could be “expulsion from the game.”
“I don't think there's anything more serious in terms of gambling and betting on matches when it comes to this league. It's players being directly involved. So the investigation is ongoing, but the consequences could be very serious. ,” Silver said. Said.
The investigation focuses on two games in which Porter participated. Both games saw an unusual amount of betting activity on Porter's prop bets. Specifically, based on Porter's statistics, bettors made huge profits by betting the under on many prop his bets. In both cases, Porter left the game early. In one case, the Raptors cited an eye injury as the reason for his absence. The other was sick. CBS Sports covered further details of Porter's allegations. here.
Porter has not played in a game since March 22, two days after the second of two games the NBA is reportedly investigating. The NBA hasn't disciplined a player for gambling-related issues since 1966, but the high-profile case that led former referee Tim Donaghy to serve a 15-month prison sentence for his involvement in the gambling industry It is clear that the league responded to the high-profile FBI investigation. .
Gambling scandals have become common in professional sports. The NFL has suspended several players over the past few years for gambling, while Major League Baseball is sorting through the fallout from the Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani scandal. and his interpreterMizuhara Ippe.
It's unclear how long the investigation into Porter will take, but given the stakes here, the league will undoubtedly conduct as thorough an investigation as possible. Sports integrity is perhaps the most important element to the health of the NBA. The moment fans stop trusting the legitimacy of a product, business begins to decline. If Porter is found guilty of misconduct, it appears the NBA intends to permanently ban him from the league.
Want more NBA coverage? Jon Gonzalez, Bill Reiter, Ashley Nicole Moss and special guests take a deep dive into the league's biggest stories every day on the Beyond the Arc podcast.
