Land of Opportunity: Banished NBAer Already Has Job Lined Up
Only in America could you land a job after being banished in the NBA.
If you thought a "lifetime ban" from the NBA meant the permanent end of a professional basketball career, think again.
In a development that has left fans and legal experts equally bewildered, Jontay Porter has officially secured a new job. On Wednesday, the Seattle SuperHawks (USBL) announced they have signed the former Toronto Raptors player for the upcoming season.
For readers who might not recognize the name, Porter is the 6'10" big man and the younger brother of NBA star Michael Porter Jr., who appeared in 37 NBA games before becoming the face of the most high-profile gambling scandal in modern sports history.
Jontay Porter was banned from the NBA, for life, last year amid his gambling scheme. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The surprise is not merely that Porter is back on a roster, but that he is doing so while still under the shadow of a federal criminal case.
In April 2024, Commissioner Adam Silver expelled Porter after an investigation found he had tipped off bettors about his health and limited his playing time to ensure specific "under" bets would win.
Porter later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, admitting he manipulated his participation in games to satisfy gambling debts. He is waiting for a sentencing hearing, where he could receive a sentence of 41 to 51 months in federal prison.
Despite this, the United States Basketball League is welcoming him with open arms for its 2026 rebirth.
For the SuperHawks, adding a name with NBA pedigree. It is a surreal visual: a player banned for life by the world's premier league finding a professional home before he even finds out his prison sentence.
As the season tips off this March, all eyes will be on the hardwood to see if Porter can finally finish a game without the box score becoming a federal target.
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