Toronto Raptors' Jontay Porter banned from NBA for life after disclosing info to bettor for $1.1 million bet

Toronto Raptors' Jontay Porter banned from NBA for life after disclosing info to bettor for $1.1 million bet



NBA power forward Jontay Porter has been banned from the NBA for allegedly engaging in sports betting and limiting his participation for gambling purposes.

The NBA issued a press release about the 24-year-old Toronto Raptors player, detailing how a league investigation found that the player violated league rules by disclosing confidential information to sports bettors.

The league also said that Porter limited "his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes" and also bet on NBA games.

For a game on March 20, 2024, Porter allegedly told a bettor about his health status. The bettor then placed an $80,000 parlay proposition with an online sports book to win $1.1 million dollars.

The bet was that Porter would underperform in certain statistical categories.

Speculation outside official NBA sources stated that Porter left the game with with an undisclosed illness, which set off alarm bells to gambling bodies.

NBA statistics showed Porter played just two minutes and 43 seconds during the game in question, recording just two rebounds.

The unusual betting activity meant that the $80,000 wager was frozen by the betting company and wasn't paid out.

Porter was also accused by the NBA of placing at least 13 bets on NBA games using "an associate's online betting account."

Bets ranged from just $15 to upward of $22,000. The bets totaled $54,094 and had a payout of $76,059; the net winnings were $21,965. None of the bets involved a game in which Porter played, however. He did bet on the Raptors three times though, and lost all three bets, the NBA said.

The league's investigation remained opened, and the NBA said it will share information with federal prosecutors.

"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," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.

"While legal sports betting creates transparency that helps identify suspicious or abnormal activity, this matter also raises important issues about the sufficiency of the regulatory framework currently in place, including the types of bets offered on our games and players. Working closely with all relevant stakeholders across the industry, we will continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game."

The following has been released by the NBA.
— (@)

Speculation of Porter's alleged wrongdoing was circulating online for weeks ahead of the league's announcement. In addition to the March 20, 2024, game, just days later YouTube channel SL Breakdown reported on another suspicious performance by Porter.

During a January 26, 2024, loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Porter played just four minutes and 24 seconds before reportedly coming out of the game after reaggravating an eye injury. In that game, he recorded just three rebounds and one assist.

The analysts questioned whether this was one of the other games that NBA investigators alluded to as being a game where Porter was "limiting" his participation.

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Toronto Raptors issue apology for 'Women's History Month' video that suggested only women can have babies



The Toronto Raptors have taken steps this week to atone for the grievous error of suggesting that only women can have babies.

The NBA franchise posted a video Wednesday to celebrate "Women's History Month" featuring players Malachi Flynn, 24, Precious Achiuwa, 23, and Scottie Barnes, 21.

The now-deleted 13-second clip begins with the prompt, "Beyonce said girls run the world. Why do you think that's true?"

Flynn responded, "Girls run the world because ... they are the only ones who can procreate."

Achiuwa noted that women "birth everybody."

Barnes stated that "all women are great because they are queens."

\u201csaved this before the raptors inevitably deleted \n\na new candidate for the who-the-hell-approved-this-sports-team-account-tweet hall of fame\u201d
— Molly Morrison (@Molly Morrison) 1677711836

The Raptors, which are partnered with the You Can Play Project, an LGBT activist group pushing its agenda in sports, issued an apology, stating, "We’re an organization that prides itself on doing the right thing when it comes to inclusion and representation, and we made a mistake yesterday."

The organization added, "Our sincerest apologies to our players, our staff and our fans – we’ll work to do better today and every day after."

It appears the apology was prompted in part by a number of critiques from relative unknowns on Twitter.

One anti-police user with pronouns in his bio wrote, "If your entire Women Empowerment video has 8 seconds of footage, and the people involved can only come up with 'women can give birth' then maybe delete the footage and try something else."

Another tweeted, "The @Raptors should spend the next month providing education to their players on ways women are awesome beyond our biology. Not all women can, or want to, give birth."

Just as they were denounced for stating biological facts, the Raptors were subsequently ridiculed for apologizing.

Former NBA player Andrew Bogut tweeted, "Soft as butter @Raptors apologising because one of their players said only women can procreate, during Women History Month! I'll say it for you. Only WOMEN can have babies."

Per Sources, an online sports community, tweeted, "Toronto Raptors apologizing for this women's history month video is embarrassing. Apparently saying only women can be mothers is offensive in some countries..."

The Hodgetwins tweeted, "Men can’t naturally grow a damn human being inside of them, it’s literally impossible. Tell whoever is 'offended' by this to f*** off."

\u201c@TheNBACentral Men can\u2019t naturally grow a damn human being inside of them, it\u2019s literally impossible. \n\nTell whoever is \u201coffended\u201d by this to fuck off\u201d
— NBACentral (@NBACentral) 1677800158

@AGORACOM wrote, "What happened to NBA players being able to express themselves? Or is this Woke poker where some hands are more valuable than others? Transgender men beats Black NBA players praising their moms and wives."

YouTuber Toby Turner noted, "nothin wrong w/ giving props for the coolest thing a human can do."

The Toronto Sun reported that the Raptors are hosting a "Women's Empowerment Night" on March 14, in an effort to "elevate women" and empower them in sport "on and off the court."

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Unvaccinated NBA players who break Canada quarantine rules will face criminal charges: report



Unvaccinated NBA players will reportedly face up to six months in jail and a fine of $750,000 if they violate the country's quarantine rules.

What are the details?

Sports writer Shams Charania reported that unvaccinated NBA players on teams playing against the Toronto Raptors in Canada may find themselves in legal trouble if they flout the country's quarantine rules.

Unvaccinated NBA players, according to his reporting, are permitted to leave their hotel only for team activities.

Charania reported the story on Twitter Wednesday, writing, "Source: NBA players were informed unvaccinated players who breach quarantine in Toronto face criminal offense. Unvaccinated players only able to leave hotel for team activities. Per Canada's Quarantine Act, violations could lead up to 6 months in prison and/or $750K in fines."

Sources: NBA players were informed unvaccinated players who breach quarantine in Toronto face criminal offense. Unv… https://t.co/LsALsgnC7e

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) 1633570397.0

'One player per team is unvaccinated'

In a Wednesday article for the Athletic, Charania reported that Canada's Quarantine Act states that violations could land a person in prison for up to six months and/or cost them $750,000 in fines.

Players must also pass PCR tests before traveling to Toronto for this season's games, according to the report, which cited the NBA's health and safety rules.

The Associated Press last week announced that about 95% of NBA players were vaccinated at that time.

The news agency added that that number includes those players who have at least just begun the vaccination process.

"Based on a rough count of nearly 600 players in the league right now for training camps — that figure will be closer to 500 when the regular season begins Oct. 19 and rosters get trimmed — the 95% figure would suggest that, on average, one player per team is unvaccinated."

The NBA announced its updated health and safety rules for the 2021-22 season last week, which included increased testing for those who have not received the vaccination, and more.

According to the report, unvaccinated players will not be permitted to eat in the same room with vaccinated teammates or team staff, must have lockers in an area separate from those who have been vaccinated, and must remain masked and stay at least six feet apart from all other attendees during team meetings.

Unvaccinated players will also be required to "remain at their residence when in their home market" and stay on team hotel properties when on the road with few exceptions.