The Twisted Irony of the Jontay Porter Scandal

The predicament Jontay Porter is currently facing has a strange sense of irony. However, before discussing that, allow me to share a tribute of sorts.

Since he was young, Jontay learned how to play basketball by watching and emulating his older brother, Michael. I was impressed by Michael’s scoring skills in high school, but Jontay was equally talented in his own way. While Michael was bold and athletic on the court, Jontay was a strategic passer who had a lot of experience and knowledge in the game. He could make 3-pointers, communicate well on defense, and was key to distributing the ball as a big man. On the court, Jontay watched out for his older brother. Unfortunately, both brothers have experienced their fair share of injuries, with Michael getting spinal surgeries and Jontay undergoing two major knee surgeries. Michael has found success with the Denver Nuggets, but Jontay struggled to find his place until this season.

Back in December, Porter inked a deal with the Toronto Raptors that allowed for him to play both in the G League and the NBA. After dealing with various injuries throughout his career, Porter finally had the chance to show off his skills at the highest level. He impressed with his expertly executed screens and great passing abilities, making him an immediate offensive threat in dribble-handoff plays. In fact, I even made some hasty comparisons between him and Marc Gasol that may have been over the top. In his final NBA game, Porter managed to get eight assists in less than 21 minutes. This is an impressive feat that has only been achieved by 24 other NBA centers throughout history. Over the course of his 37 NBA games, Porter maintained a 2-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.

Here lies the paradox. When standing up, he was always skilled at making wise choices.

The choices made by Porter outside of the court have led to his downfall in the sports world. After an investigation of "betting irregularities" connected to Porter, the NBA banned him for life due to various violations. This ban marks the first time since 1966 that a player has received a permanent ban not related to substance abuse. The previous bans were tied to the 1961 NCAA point-shaving scandal that involved players Roger Brown and Connie Hawkins. The investigation found that Porter had placed over 13 bets from January to March of this year, with bets ranging from $15 to $22,000. None of these bets involved games in which he played, but he did bet against his own team in three separate instances. Although he did not win any of these bets, Porter made a net gain of $76,059 from his bets totaling $54,094.

The most serious wrongdoing happened on March 20 before the Raptors and Kings game. Porter shared private information about his health with someone who was known to bet on NBA games. One of Porter's friends put down $80,000 on bets that were specific to Porter for that game. These bets were for the unders, which could have won them $1.1 million if they won. The licensed sports betting operators found the high-value bet placed on an average player to be suspicious and reported it to the league. The bet was then frozen and did not pay out. When the game was played, Jontay only played for two minutes and 43 seconds before leaving the game, stating he was ill.

Porter's love for gambling didn't come from nowhere. When he was in college, he started investing in cryptocurrencies. He's been running a social media account since September 2020 where he shares tips on trading stocks and cryptocurrencies. He says he's the co-founder of a swing trading advice service and community. These kinds of groups have become very common on Discord since the pandemic started, offering quick ways to get rich. They became even more popular after the GameStop stock short squeeze in January 2021. Porter once mentioned this service on his main account two days after the short squeeze happened.

However, someone whose main interest and source of income was promoting the importance of financial literacy and freedom seemed to contradict their beliefs with recent actions (along with those they associate with). Although sports betting and stock trading have different processes, both rely heavily on transaction volume and considering liquidity risk. It's crucial to understand these fundamental elements to comprehend the subject. It goes without saying that no individual would attempt to make an $80,000 wager in a market where few betting options exist for a less popular player on a losing Raptors team. According to the report from the league, Porter, who was aware of his recent form, intentionally interfered with the game and his position in it. All for a chance to win $1.1 million, which is less than the salary he made playing for the Grizzlies in 2021 during 11 games. He even placed the wager on himself. While it's normal to underestimate one's own value, treating oneself poorly is unacceptable.

The easy availability of sports betting has made it more addictive and people tend to make more bets. Betting can happen so quickly that you don't realize the consequences and you are unaware of the technology monitoring the transactions in the country. This is why people become addicted to it. The NBA had previously fought against legalization of gambling and even filed a lawsuit against New Jersey in 2012 and 2014, claiming it would affect the public's faith in team sports.

Something happened that shifted the situation. In 2014, the NBA and FanDuel joined forces through a strategic partnership that included ownership shares. FanDuel was only focused on daily fantasy sports at the time, which meant they didn't violate the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 since fantasy sports were exempt. Shortly after FanDuel and the NBA's partnership was announced, NBA commissioner Adam Silver published an article titled "Legalize and Regulate Sports Betting" in the New York Times. The NBA was determined to be at the forefront of this shift in the industry. Over the last decade, the struggle between legalized gambling and its impact on professional sports coverage has become so overwhelming that it's difficult to ignore. (Note: This blog post is sponsored by The Ringer, a partner of FanDuel.)

The Porter situation is what the NBA had both hoped and feared when they entered into the sports betting business. Legalizing sports betting was seen as a way to monitor global market volume and address any issues while bringing the betting industry into the open. This proves that measures can be taken to maintain the integrity of the legal betting industry and the game. The NBA believes that Porter's lifetime ban for gambling and compromising the integrity of the game is necessary to uphold the integrity of the game. The fact that the ruling was applied to an aspirant like Porter instead of an established star makes it easier for fans to accept without issue. However, it raises questions about how the NBA has handled other more morally reprehensible offenses with leniency. Ultimately, the NBA is a business and it is responsible for expanding and protecting its business interests above all else. The NBA's lack of ambiguity in this regard is clear.

Porter's story will be remembered as an example and a joke. Other athletes in the NBA or other major sports will likely follow in Jontay's footsteps and make smarter choices. It's hard for players at the bottom to stay hopeful about achieving their dreams without feeling desperate. I can't stop thinking about the person behind the headlines and the decisions that led to this. In a Sportsnet article published in January, it was revealed that Jontay considered quitting basketball in 2022. During his time with the Memphis Grizzlies from 2020-2022, he had knee pain and had to take "several ibuprofen" before games. Knee issues are common in the family - Michael had surgeries and both of his sisters had knee problems that led to them retiring from playing basketball at Mizzou, with Bri suffering from five ACL tears during high school and college.

As I reflect on March of 2019, I recall a story I came across about Jontay. He was at the Denver Nuggets practice facility, where he watched his brother Michael play a game of one-on-one against a friend. Despite being less than five months removed from a severe knee injury he sustained during a scrimmage, Jontay was eager to get back on the court. He had been a top prospect in the 2018 NBA draft but chose to stay at Mizzou to further enhance his prospects. Unfortunately, he suffered a setback with the injury. However, he was on track to be ready for the draft night in 2019. He had a checkup scheduled a few days earlier in March to obtain clearance to run and jump, but had to cancel due to the bomb cyclone blizzard in Denver. Nevertheless, Jontay felt good and decided to join in the game. His competitive nature took over, and he disregarded the fact that he was not yet fully healed. He felt invincible.

During a one-on-one match against Michael, Jontay's knee suddenly popped. The Star article reported that Michael shouted at him and asked why he even played. By the end of March, Jontay had to undergo his second knee surgery in less than six months. An impulsive decision has forever changed his career path. Five years later, on the same day as his second surgery, another knee surgery would completely end his career.

Back in 2019, Porter spoke to the Star and shared that he would only be away for a year. He mentioned having enough time to focus on other matters during this period. Furthermore, he acknowledged that losing one year shouldn't upset him.

What if we talk about forever instead?