Reports: Raptors backup centre Jontay Porter part of gambling investigation
The Toronto Raptors offered no comment on media reports that backup centre Jontay Porter is part of an investigation for gambling on Monday.
ESPN was the first to report that Porter is subject of an NBA investigation into irregularities on prop betting involving him.
Porter has been on Toronto's inactive list since Saturday for "personal reasons." Head coach Darko Rajakovic had given Porter a more prominent role in the Raptors' rotation after starting centre Jakov Poeltl had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left hand on March 6.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
There was still a nameplate above Porter's locker at Scotiabank Arena before Monday's game against the Brooklyn Nets but it was empty. Few of his teammates were in Toronto's locker room pre-game, with one refusing to answer any questions about the situation.
Jordan Nwora, who's just in his second season in the NBA, said he couldn't comment on Porter's situation as he had only just learned about it from social media.
"I think it's just simple," said Nwora on what kind of education players get from the league on gambling protocols. "Just stay away from basketball stuff and other than that, you're good.
"That's what we learned about it. Same going as far back as college."
Ontario is the only jurisdiction in Canada where betting on sports through online bettors is legal. However, the NBA has strict rules on gambling.
Anyone affiliated with the NBA — players or employees for any of the 30 teams or the league overall — cannot bet on the NBA or any of its properties. That includes the NBA, summer league, WNBA, G-League, Basketball Africa League or NBA2K League.
If sports betting is legal where that person is, betting on other sports is permitted.
Nwora said that he and other players hear from fans about how their performance is impacting their bets constantly.
"All the time. Non-stop," said Nwora. "You get messages. You hear it on the sideline. You see guys talking about it all the time.
"It is what it is. It comes with being in the NBA. People bet on silly things on a daily basis. So I mean, it's part of being in the NBA, it’s what comes with it. I get it."
The 24-year-old Porter is averaging 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists over 13.8 minutes per game this season. He is on a two-way contract with the G League's Raptors 905.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
Yazidi woman captured by ISIS rescued in Gaza after more than a decade in captivity
A 21-year-old Yazidi woman has been rescued from Gaza where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS.
Scientists looked at images from space to see how fast Antarctica is turning green. Here's what they found
Parts of icy Antarctica are turning green with plant life at an alarming rate as the region is gripped by extreme heat events, according to new research, sparking concerns about the changing landscape on this vast continent.
DEVELOPING 2 dead after fire rips through historic building in Old Montreal
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building near Montreal's City Hall, sources told Noovo Info.
Suspect in shooting of Toronto cop was out on bail
A 21-year-old man who was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a Toronto police officer this week was out on bail at the time of the alleged offence, court documents obtained by CTV News Toronto show.
A 6-year-old girl was kidnapped in Arkansas in 1995. Almost 30 years later, a suspect was identified
Nearly 30 years after a six-year-old girl disappeared in Western Arkansas, authorities have identified a suspect in her abduction through DNA evidence.
Dolphins 'smile' at each other when they play and to avoid misunderstanding, study finds
For humans, flashing a smile is an easy way to avoid misunderstanding. And, according to a new study, bottlenose dolphins may use a similar tactic while playing with each other.
Haitian gang kills at least 70 people, including 3 infants, UN says
Armed men belonging to the Gran Grif gang killed at least 70 people, including three infants, as they swept through a Haitian town shooting automatic rifles at residents, a spokesperson for the United Nations' Human Rights Office said on Friday.
Pit bulls in B.C. pet mauling tested positive for meth, cocaine, says city
Three pit bulls involved in a deadly attack on another dog last month in Kamloops, B.C., tested positive for methamphetamine and cocaine, and the city is going to court to have them put down.