The NBA handed a lifetime ban to Jontay Porter after a short investigation of his anomalous sports betting activities.
The Toronto Raptors center will never get to play basketball in the top American league for committing a crime that the NBA described as blatant and a cardinal sin.
NBA Twitter expressed regret for the young player, who reportedly won around $21,000 on prop bets during the games he played.
He also made bets on a Toronto Raptors loss at one point.
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"You don't want this for the kid, you don't want this for our team and we don't want this for our league, that's for sure," Raptors President Masai Ujiri said Wednesday in Toronto after learning about his former player's ban.
"My first reaction is obviously surprise, because none of us, I don't think anybody, saw this coming."
Jontay Porter Jr.'s career earnings of $2.3 million may not be that high, but he could have earned more if he could have stayed longer in the league.
He now leaves a legacy that will forever be remembered as the player who bet on himself, literally.
He also leaves his big brother, Michael Porter Jr., in the NBA. Just last month, the two swapped jerseys.
A Porter brother could go to prison for homicide
Jontay and Michael Jr. grew up together and played college basketball at Missouri Tigers.
The Denver Nuggets forward is unconvinced that his brother would do such a thing.
"So, I know just as much as you guys know at this point. I have known my brother my whole life. I know what type of dude he is," Michael said last month.
"I know he's excited to play basketball and highly doubt that he would do anything to put that in jeopardy."
At some level, the members of the Porter family are public figures, as both parents and their kids are involved in the sport.
Michael Porter Sr. once played for the University of New Orleans, coached the University of Washington, and currently serves as the director of player development at the University of Missouri.
The mother, Lisa, played for the University of Iowa from 1983 to 87 and earned the Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.
They have three other brothers who play basketball in top universities and three other sisters who also play.
Although Jontay's gambling issue is scandalous, that is not the first time the family has dealt with a problem involving a family member.
Jontay Porter's gambling and ban is the second scandal to rock the family, as Coban is currently in prison for drunk driving.
Coban, 22, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide in February. He played for the University of Denver during his college years.
The incident occurred on January 22, 2023, when Coban Porter beat the red light and crashed into an oncoming car driven by Kathy Limon Rothman, a 42-year-old mother working as an Uber driver.
Coban's blood alcohol level was .20, more than twice the limit of .8.
He was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and two counts of assault.
He pleaded guilty and will be sentenced tomorrow, April 19.
Related article: Jontay Porter Gambling Scandal: MPJ Speaks Up About Brother's Integrity, Calls Gambling Dangerous
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