Jontay Porter says NBA gambling ban was 'best thing that could've happened' to him

Jontay Porter, the former Toronto Raptors forward banned from the NBA in 2024 for gambling violations, reflected on the scandal this week, saying it was "the best thing that could've happened" to him.

In his first one-on-one interview since the investigation, Porter sat down with 12-year-old TikToker HeyHenryTV at a basketball tournament in Houston. He said the ban was transformative despite its shame and embarrassment. "Even though that was the hardest time in my life, it has been a blessing in disguise," he said.

In April 2024, the NBA found that Porter manipulated on-court performance to help friends win bets while with the Raptors. An investigation also uncovered that he bet his own team to lose a game against the Sacramento Kings on March 20, 2024. He received a lifetime ban from the league.

Porter said the incident was the last day he ever gambled and has since been focused on repairing relationships. After a few months, he channelled his pain into founding the Open Gate Project, a charity helping individuals battling gambling addictions. "I want to raise awareness and help individuals get help before their lives blow up the same way that mine did," he said.

Porter played only 26 total games with the Toronto Raptors, averaging 13.8 minutes per game with 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. He fell into gambling during the pandemic and placed "millions" in sports wagers from 2021 through 2023. After his NBA contract was effectively terminated, he signed with the Seattle Super Hawks in the USBL in February 2026. He has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and awaits sentencing.