Michael Porter Jr Recent Comments Suggest the NBA May Be Unaware of Ongoing Gambling

Michael Porter Jr., the brother of Jontay Porter, the only player to have been issued a lifetime ban from the NBA due to his gambling and suspected match-fixing, recently made appearances on podcasts and interviews, talking about his brother’s gambling and what could be a silent epidemic in the association’s midst.

Porter Talks Gambling in the NBA, Match-Fixing, and Why the Temptation Exists

According to Michael, who commented on the Fullcourtpass podcast, there is a “temptation” for many players to feign an injury and make their friends and family rich. Michael did not endorse this, nor did he back the actions of his brother, but went on to elaborate.

Ultimately, this chance for turning a bit of extra money was ingrained into many players’ mentality, especially those who came from poor backgrounds and had learned to take every opportunity life offered them.

Michael, however, insisted that this was wrong and that the NBA Gambling Policy ought to be observed. Among the players to have been investigated by the NBA for such breaches of protocol have been Terry Rozier, Malik Beasley, Marcus Morris, and, naturally, Jontay himself.

He similarly called for betting companies and watchdogs to step up and ensure that gambling in sports is kept under control, as this further exacerbates such impulses in people who are looking to gamble – especially among professional athletes.

On the flipside, the NBA has a fairly lenient policy on gambling. While players and insiders are prohibited from gambling on anything related to the association, they are free to place wagers on most other sports, providing they do so legally.