NBA-banned Jontay Porter signs contract with USBL’s Super Hawks

Former Toronto Raptor and NBA-banned centre Jontay Porter has signed a professional contract with the Seattle Super Hawks of the United States Basketball League (USBL).

The Super Hawks announced the move in an Instagram post on Tuesday.

Porter was banned from the NBA for life in April 2024 after a league probe found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors and wagered on games. Porter was a member of the Raptors at the time, and the league found that Porter had also placed bets on Toronto to lose.

The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on July 10, 2024, admitting to competitive manipulation in two NBA games. He was then scheduled for sentencing in December 2024, but that date was pushed back.

Porter continues to await a new sentencing date.

Porter was injured to start the 2023-24 NBA season, but saw more playing time when Raptors starting centre Jakob Poeltl was out, recovering from an injured ankle.

That increased time on the court put Porter in a position to manipulate the betting market, feigning injury or illness to remove himself from games on Jan. 26 and March 20. He played fewer than five minutes and scored no points in both of them.

By pulling out of the games, Porter ensured that bettors who took the under on proposition bets on his performance would win their wagers.

The maximum prison sentence for conspiracy to commit wire fraud is 20 years, but prosecutors have estimated Porter’s sentence to fall in a range from 41 to 51 months.

Until then, Porter will return to the court with the Super Hawks. The USBL is an eight-team league that was in operation from 1985 to 2008, but is being revived for 2026. Its clubs are located in Oregon, California and Washington.

Seattle begins its season on March 7 against the Lilac City Legends.

— with files from The Canadian Press