Mar 11, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter (34) reacts after a play in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

In a concerning news, the Toronto Raptors’ Center Jontay Porter is under investigation by the NBA for betting irregularities involving him. As per Adrian Wojnarowski, the Center is out of the Raptors’ lineup and multiple sources have informed the NBA about the prop-related betting issues around Porter. ESPN rolled out an article, with details of the alleged irregularities and the suspected money trail behind it.

The article cited an example from the Raptors’ tussle against the Clippers on January 26. Porter left the game after logging just four minutes which meant that he was going to under the props bet of 5.5 points/4.5 rebounds/1.5 assists/0.5 three-pointers. Thus, multiple sportsbook sources confirmed that, on the day, there were many bets on the “under” mark, ranging from $10k to $20k.

Considering the seriousness of the allegations, a video of Johntay Porter is going viral where he claimed to make 20x profit through stock trading. New York Basketball’s X account posted the audio clip of Porter claiming to turn in massive profits through Robinhood markets. This clip is from Porter’s appearance on the ‘Bound To Be Rich‘ podcast in 2021.

“A few times I mean, one time, I turned $5k to $100k of earnings play on Robinhoods. I took most out of that and just traded with a little bit of count. Got up to 50,000 recently and then 200,000 in a few days,” Porter revealed in 2021.

As a stock trader, the former Grizzlies athlete made a huge bank by selling “Tesla” stocks and various high-performing “wild” stocks. These claims raise alarm because they indicate that the Center is looking for a quick return in the market and has built solid partnerships with trading communities.

However, it is not substantial proof of his alleged betting-related wrongdoings. For Porter, it was a “side gig” considering he is a professional basketball athlete. However, for now, his hoops journey has hit a huge roadblock.

Jontay Porter’s NBA career may be in jeopardy

On X, SI’s senior writer Chris Mannix touched upon the potential punishment for the under-investigation Raptors Center. As per Mannix, if he is found guilty, there is a chance that he can be “banned for a lifetime”. He argued that Adam Silver and the NBA can “make an example” out of the 6’11” Center to “preserve the integrity” of the game.

Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Therefore, the NBA’s investigation on Porter can play a vital role in shaping their future policies regarding players involving themselves in betting.

While such actions may put the league’s integrity in jeopardy, such occurrences were inevitable considering how all USA states have moved towards making sports betting legal. While Porter’s alleged betting irregularities paint a haunting picture of the future of the NBA’s integrity, the problem could be more systemic than an individual. Case in point are the endless deals between sportsbook sponsors and the league.