NBA bans Raptors player for life after he leaked info to bettors
David Zalubowski
- Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been banned for life from the NBA for gambling violations.
- The NBA said Porter leaked health information to a known sports bettor, among other violations.
- The league's investigation remains open.
A player for the Toronto Raptors was slapped with a lifetime ban from the NBA after the league discovered he broke gambling rules, including leaking information about his health and bet against his own team.
The NBA said in a statement that it opened an investigation into Raptors forward Jontay Porter after a game last month that attracted heavy interest from sports bettors.
Porter played only three minutes before tapping out, saying he was ill, the NBA said.
The investigation revealed he had leaked information about his health to a known sports bettor. A different bettor placed an $80,000 bet that Porter would underperform in the game — which would have paid out $1 million, the league said.
The earnings were frozen because Porter's behavior was suspicious, the league said.
"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 game rules are being met with the most severe punishment," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.
The investigation remains open.
This is a developing story. Check back for more information.