Ex-Raptor Jontay Porter Pleads Guilty to Betting Scandal, Could Face Lengthy Prison Sentence

Former two-way Toronto Raptors big man Jontay Porter, fresh off receiving a lifetime league ban due to his violation of the NBA's gaming rules, has seen his year from hell go from bad to worse.

According to Bleacher Report, Porter "has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud," as part of a case related to the sports betting scandal that ended his career in the world's top basketball league. Depending on his sentencing, Porter could be imprisoned for up to four years.

The 6-foot-11 power forward/center, younger brother to starting Denver Nuggets small forward Michael Porter Jr., went undrafted out of Missouri in 2019. He initially signed on late into the 2019-20 season with the Memphis Grizzlies, who promptly inked him to a long-term, multi-year deal the subsequent season. Memphis ultimately cut Porter in July 2021. Across just 11 contests with the club, he averaged 2.0 points and 1.3 rebounds, in 4.9 minutes a night.

Porter kicked around the G League for the subsequent few seasons. He played with the Milwaukee Bucks' NBAGL affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, during the 2022-23 season, and began 2023-24 playing for the Detroit Pistons' G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise.

The 24-year-old, a solid playmaker for his position and size, inked a two-way deal with the Raptors in December 2023, and that's when the trouble began. Two-way contracts are not counted against an NBA team's 15 standard roster spots. Clubs can carry up to three two-way signings at any given time during the season. Two-way players are only permitted to appear in 50 games for their NBA franchise and generally split their time between the NBA proper and the G League.

Read More: Toronto Raptors News: Young Big Man Jontay Porter Away From Team Amidst Betting Scandal

During his 26 contests with Toronto (including five starts), Porter averaged 4.4 points while slashing .385/.333/.833, 3.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks a night. He played 13.8 minutes a game for the Raptors.

Porter averaged far more robust numbers with the Raptors' G League squad, Raptors 905, during his finite tenure with the team. In seven regular season G League games, Porter averaged 13.1 points on .344/.298/.636 shooting splits, 10.9 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 2.6 blocks and 1.4 swipes a night.

But the good times would not last for Porter's NBA development.

Porter was ultimately banned for life after it was discovered that he had conspired with four men to bet big on him hitting the under on specific stat lines in two games where he forced his way out early. According to The Associated Press, Porter's co-conspirators first appeared in court in June.

Now, Porter himself is apparently due to be sentenced. It's a sad story for a promising young talent. Though he has been banned from the league, he could still pick up his playing career abroad. A lengthy prison sentence would of course delay that from happening for a while.