Former NBA player Jontay Porter is returning to basketball after signing a contract to play for a newly revived basketball league. Porter was permanently banned in 2024 for violating the league’s gambling policies. He’s also waiting for his sentencing for pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Porter has signed a contract to play for the Seattle SuperHawks of the United States Basketball League. The USBL was initially founded in 1989 before ceasing operations in 2008. It was revived last year and will begin play on March 7.
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Porter last played basketball for the Toronto Raptors on March 22, 2024, against the OKC Thunder. He played a total of 37 games in the league, which includes an 11-game stint with the Memphis Grizzlies as a rookie.
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Why is Jontay Porter banned for life by the NBA?
The NBA banned Jontay Porter for life after he violated the league’s gambling policies. The NBA began investigating him three days after playing against the OKC Thunder on March 22, 2024.
Porter was found to have manipulated a couple of his performances for the Toronto Raptors during the 2023-24 NBA season. He conspired with gamblers to place bets on him, returning the favor by ensuring that the stakes were hit. He also reportedly bet on at least 13 NBA games he was not a part of that same season.
Due to the nature of the incident, the federal government also began looking into his situation. Porter pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and is facing up to 20 years in jail.
His involvement in betting also led the federal prosecutors to pursue other NBA-related cases, which involved Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups.
Jontay Porter is the younger brother of Michael Porter Jr.
Speaking to the New York Post last year, Michael Porter Jr. opened up about his relationship with his younger brother, Jontay Porter. Porter confirmed that he spoke with his brother about his gambling issue and subsequent ban from the NBA.
“It was like a therapy session for us because as brothers, that was the first time we sat down and really had a full conversation about what really happened,” MPJ said. “Him being super honest and transparent about the entire thing, and it was great.”
MPJ and Jontay played one season together at Missouri. They came from a big family with two older sisters and four younger siblings, including Coban and Jevon Porter, who both played college basketball.
Edited by Juan Paolo David