FORMER NBA PLAYER DAMON JONES FACES FEDERAL CHARGES OVER ALLEGED GAMBLING AND POKER SCHEMES
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Brooklyn, N.Y., Nov. 24, 2025 — Former NBA guard and assistant coach Damon Jones has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, federal prosecutors announced last month.
Indictments detail betting and poker plots
According to court filings, investigators accuse Jones of supplying non-public injury information from inside the Los Angeles Lakers organization to sports bettors in 2023 and 2024 while serving as a voluntary member of the team’s coaching staff. In a separate but related case, he is also alleged to have joined a Mafia-linked ring that ran rigged high-stakes poker games.
Jones, 49, pleaded not guilty to both counts during an appearance in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn on Nov. 8. He was released on a $200,000 bond secured by the Houston home of his mother and stepfather. The two federal cases name 34 defendants; prosecutors say two additional former NBA players remain unidentified.
Text messages cited by FBI
Court documents describe a 2023 message in which Jones urged a bettor to “get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight” because LeBron James “is out tonight,” adding, “Bet enough so Djones can eat too now!!!” A separate episode allegedly involved forward Anthony Davis. Sources close to James say the four-time MVP was unaware Jones was sharing his playing status.
Career, persona and financial strain
Jones played for nine NBA teams from 1999-2009 and earned about $21 million. Known for flashy cars, expensive suits and constant trash talk, he once declared himself “one of the top-five shooters in the world.” His most memorable on-court moment was a Game 6 overtime jumper with 4.8 seconds left that clinched a 2006 first-round series for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After retiring at 32, Jones worked as a shooting consultant and assistant coach with Cleveland from 2014-18, including the club’s 2016 championship season, and later held an unofficial role with the Lakers. He also made television appearances, including on ESPN.
Friends and former teammates describe heavy gambling and spending habits that outpaced his earnings. Between 2013 and 2024, Jones twice filed for bankruptcy, faced at least four lawsuits over unpaid personal loans, and was twice served with eviction notices in Houston, court records show. Debts listed in one bankruptcy petition included an $86,000 Mercedes loan and $47,000 owed to the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas. In a separate lawsuit, he reportedly offered his 2016 Cavaliers championship ring as collateral.
Relationship with LeBron James
Jones maintained a long-standing friendship with LeBron James dating to their Cleveland days, which helped him secure access to the Lakers in 2022-23. Team staffers say he routinely traveled, joined practices and organized card games with players. Sources indicate the relationship cooled well before the indictments.
Jones and his attorney have declined interview requests since his arrest. If convicted, he could face significant prison time, though sentencing guidelines have not been disclosed.
Source: ESPN.com
