Brooklyn, NY — Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. is publicly cautioning NBA players against tampering with their on-court statistics to influence sports-betting markets, warning that the practice could end careers.
During an appearance on the One Night with Steiny podcast released earlier this week, Porter addressed the growing number of gambling-related investigations involving professional athletes. His younger brother, Jontay Porter, received a lifetime ban from the NBA in April after league officials determined he deliberately limited his playing time to affect prop bets.
“It’s only going to get worse”
Porter, 26, said the expanding legal-gambling landscape creates temptations for players, especially those who “come from nothing.” He described a hypothetical scenario in which a player tells friends to wager on his statistical under and then feigns an injury to cash in.
“If you tell your boys to drop ten grand on your under and you check out early, everybody gets paid,” Porter told host Stephen “Steiny” Stein. “That might sound easy when you’ve never had money, but it can ruin your career.”
Recent high-profile cases
Jontay Porter’s ban followed two games last season in which he exited early with reported injuries or illness after attracting unusual betting activity. Similar probes have rippled through other sports; Major League Baseball disciplined multiple players this year for wagering violations.
Porter also referenced ongoing league scrutiny involving Milwaukee Bucks guard Malik Beasley and Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier, both of whom have faced questions about gambling-related conduct but have not been disciplined by the NBA.
Fresh start in Brooklyn
Michael Porter Jr. joined the Nets in a sign-and-trade deal with the Denver Nuggets at the start of free agency this summer. He said the league’s crackdown on gambling misconduct serves as a reminder that “every game is being watched” by regulators.
“The money might look good in the moment,” Porter added, “but it’s not worth losing the game you love.”
Source: Hoops Wire
