Jontay Porter is set to play professional basketball once again.
Porter, who was banned for life by the NBA after a gambling scandal in 2024, signed a deal to play for the Seattle Superhawks in the rebuilt United States Basketball League, the team announced on Wednesday.
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Porter spent two seasons in the NBA and appeared in 37 total games, most recently with the Toronto Raptors. The , however, after it said it in two games in order to influence the outcome of bets made on his performance.
Before one game, the NBA said, Porter disclosed information about his health to someone he knew to be a bettor. The league said he also placed 13 bets on NBA games using someone else’s account, ranging from $15 to $22,000. None of those bets involved a game in which he played, but he did bet on the Raptors.
“in over his head due to a gambling addiction.” He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in 2024, which is a felony that carries up to 20 years in prison. According to , he is expected to get between 3-4 years when he is sentenced.
A federal judge denied Porter’s request to keep playing professionally in Greece. If he takes the court when the league starts next month, it will mark Porter’s first professional game since his time with the Raptors.
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Porter’s gambling scandal is one of several that has rocked the league in recent years. Last fall, Miami Heat guard . He has pleaded not guilty and denied the charges. Portland Trail Blazers coach .
The USBL’s first season was back in 1985, and it ran through 2008 before it shut down. It will start back up again on March 6 with eight new teams — the Yakima Heat, Vancouver Bears, Bakersfield Majestics, Seattle SuperHawks, Salem Capitals, Lilac City Legends, San Diego Surf and Los Angeles Blue Waves — all based on the west coast.
The Superhawks will open their season against the Legends on March 7.
