Denver Nuggets ahead Michael Porter Jr. mentioned Wednesday night time that he is positive youthful brother Jontay would by no means do something to jeopardize his budding NBA profession.
Jontay Porter, a ahead for the Toronto Raptors, is underneath investigation by the NBA after a number of cases of betting irregularities over the previous a number of months, sources advised ESPN earlier this week. At difficulty are prop bets involving Porter from video games on Jan. 26 and March 20, sources mentioned. An NBA spokesperson advised ESPN that the league is “trying into it.”
Michael Porter Jr. took the rostrum after the Nuggets’ loss at house to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night time and was requested concerning the probe involving his brother.
Michael Porter Jr. mentioned he has no extra particulars than the media does, however he vouched for his brother, who at 24 is a 12 months youthful than him, saying, “Jontay loves the sport of basketball” and has been thrilled to play for Toronto on a two-way contract this season.
“I’ve recognized my brother my complete life. I do know what sort of dude he’s and I do know he is excited to play basketball, and I extremely doubt he would do something to place that in jeopardy,” Michael Porter Jr. mentioned.
Jontay Porter hasn’t publicly addressed the scenario, and he has missed the previous couple of Raptors video games, with the workforce citing private causes.
The youthful Porter is averaging 4.4 factors, 3.2 rebounds and a pair of.3 assists in 26 video games, together with 5 begins. Porter, 6-foot-10, additionally performed in 11 video games for Memphis within the 2020-21 season.
NBA gamers, together with all league workers, are prohibited from betting on any NBA occasions, together with prop bets. Violations of the coverage might embrace fines, suspensions and potential termination of contracts, amongst different actions.
Michael Porter Jr. mentioned he and others repeatedly hear how their on-court efficiency impacts bettors.
“Yeah, particularly the previous few years you hear individuals within the crowd saying what they want you to attain tonight or what they do not need you to attain,” he mentioned. “Each night time you are disappointing somebody. You are disappointing individuals if you happen to rating an excessive amount of as a result of they could have guess on the underneath, and also you’re disappointing individuals if you happen to did not rating sufficient.
“So, it is part of the sport now. I feel that it is clearly a harmful behavior. It is a harmful vice for individuals,” he added. “You realize, the love of cash is the basis of all evil. So, I feel that although it’s a factor, we as gamers simply have to simply accept that. We receives a commission some huge cash to play this sport, and I do know these individuals, these followers, they need to make some cash, as nicely.
“It is positively one thing that has form of taken over the sporting world — I do not know if it is a good factor or a foul factor.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
