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Jontay Porter Seeks Court Approval to Resume Basketball Career in Greece Amid NBA Ban
Jontay Porter, currently banned from the NBA, is seeking court approval to continue his basketball career in Greece. The young talent aims to revive his professional journey overseas, hoping to showcase his skills and gain a second chance in the sport he loves. Read more.
According to The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov, a federal judge has denied Jontay Porter's request to resume his basketball career in Greece. The NBA banned the former Raptors player in April, marking the first time since 1954 that an active player or coach has been expelled from The Association.
An NBA investigation revealed that Porter had bet on Raptors games and manipulated his performance to help others win prop bets placed on him. Federal prosecutors filed a complaint against four other men last month, alleging that Porter owed large gambling debts and had agreed to pull himself early from games under the pretense of injury. In one case, a man bet $80,000 on a Porter-related parlay and won $1.1 million.
Porter's pursuit of European Basketball amidst legal proceedings
Porter sought to play for Promitheas Patras B.C. in the Greek Basket League and Basketball Champions League in Europe. He has a sentencing hearing scheduled for Dec. 18 and faces 41-51 months in prison based on sentencing guidelines, The Athletic reported.
Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall ruled one week after the former Toronto Raptors forward pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to the betting scandal, which led to the 24-year-old being permanently banned from the NBA.
However, an online court notice on Tuesday revealed that Porter's motion to modify the conditions of his pre-sentence release, allowing him to get his U.S. passport back, travel to and around Europe, reside in Patras, Greece, and play professional basketball there, was denied.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and Jeff Jensen, Porter's lawyer, both declined to comment.
Porter's attorneys requested the return of his U.S. passport and permission for him to travel to Europe and live in Greece with his wife, who is expecting a child. The U.S. Attorney's Office and the U.S. pretrial services officer did not oppose the request.
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Porter seeks redemption balancing legal troubles and a return to basketball
Last week, Porter pled guilty in Brooklyn federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. This case stems from the betting scandal that resulted in his NBA ban in April and led to federal charges for four other men last month.
Following his guilty plea, he was released on a $250,000 bond and had to forfeit his passport. Porter’s sentencing is set for December 18, where he faces 41-51 months in prison according to sentencing guidelines. However, Porter is attempting to resume playing basketball and has asked the federal judge for permission to travel to Petras, Greece. There, he plans to live in team-approved housing with his wife and their expected child. Porter would be under the close supervision of his mother, mother-in-law, and his new team, who have agreed to accommodate his travel back to New York for court obligations, as stated in the letter filed by his lawyer.
