Porter Jr. Warns Sports Betting Threatens NBA Integrity
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Aug. 13, 2025 — Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. said the rapid growth of legal wagering is eroding both the integrity and the enjoyment of professional basketball and predicted the problem “is only going to get worse.”
Speaking on the “One Night with Steiny” podcast earlier this week, Porter argued that fan interest has shifted from the sport itself to the outcome of personal wagers. “The enjoyment of the game isn’t for the game anymore,” he said. “It’s so that people can make money. In reality, way more people are losing money than making money.”
Porter, 27, addressed the issue one year after his younger brother, Jontay Porter, received a lifetime ban from the NBA. Jontay admitted in federal court in July 2024 that he purposely exited two games during the 2023-24 season so associates who bet the under on his statistical props could profit, a scheme aimed at covering gambling debts.
Referencing players who “come from nothing,” the elder Porter said he understands how the temptation can arise. He described a scenario in which an athlete could quickly enrich friends by intentionally underperforming. “That is so not OK,” he emphasized.
Porter added that NBA players are in a “no-win situation” with bettors because prop wagers guarantee someone will be angry. He said athletes receive death threats and wondered what might occur if a disgruntled gambler confronted a player in person.
The former Denver Nuggets swingman, traded to Brooklyn this offseason, called for strict limits on wagering. “Sports betting should be in person, not online, and only in Las Vegas,” he said. “The whole sports gambling entity… it’s bad and it’s only going to get worse.”
Source: ESPN
