Nearly two years after the NBA banned him for life for a violation of league gambling rules, former Toronto Raptors and Memphis Grizzlies forward Jontay Porter has a role with a different professional basketball league. The Seattle SuperHawks of the United States Basketball League announced that they signed Porter to their 2026 roster, giving him his first playing opportunity since the exit from the NBA.
Porter’s arrival in the USBL raises eyebrows, particularly because of the league’s stated commitment to fair competition.
“The games we play must be decided on the court,” the USBL says as part of its league values. “Every rule we establish, every policy we implement, and every decision we make is guided by a commitment to fair competition. Players, coaches, and fans must be able to trust that the outcomes they witness are earned through skill, preparation, and effort — nothing else.”
The SuperHawks are one of eight teams in the rebirth of the USBL, which opens its season on March 6. The league originally operated from 1985-2008 and produced a number of eventual NBA players including Manute Bol and Spud Webb.
Porter is tied to the FBI investigation into illegal sports betting, which shook the NBA last fall, and he previously pleaded guilty in 2024 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Two defendants in the federal case allegedly threatened Porter, forcing him to remain involved in a scheme wherein parties gathered inside information on NBA games and relayed it to bettors.
Irregular betting activity on Porter’s player props in 2024 flagged potential wrongdoing. The NBA found that Porter disclosed information about his health status to a bettor ahead of a March 20 game, and another bettor wagered $80,000 on a parlay that would win $1.1 million if the under hit on Porter’s player props. Porter exited from that game due to illness less than three minutes into the contest. The bet was frozen and never paid out.
After a separate game earlier that season, DraftKings sent a report to users that stated the under on Porter’s made 3-pointers was the biggest winner among all NBA props from Jan. 26, 2024.
The NBA also found that Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games from January to March 2024 using an associate’s account. He wagered a combined $54,094 and netted $21,965. None of those purported bets involved games in which Porter played, but he bet on the Raptors to lose as part of a multi-game parlay.
Porter’s case is one of the few rare instances in which the NBA disciplined a player for violating its gambling policy. The league prohibits anyone affiliated with the NBA from betting on NBA properties and requires players to attend anti-gambling training sessions on an annual basis. It also employs data scientists to monitor sports betting issues.