Jontay Porter facts for kids

Jontay Porter (/ˈdʒɒnteɪ/ JON-tay; born November 15, 1999) is an American professional basketball player. He played as a center or power forward. He was last with the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also played for the Raptors 905 in the NBA G League. Jontay played college basketball for the Missouri Tigers. His older brother, Michael Porter Jr., also played there. Jontay was named the Southeastern Conference Sixth Man of the Year in his first college season. He tried to join the NBA in 2019 but was not chosen in the draft.

Jontay began his professional career in 2020. He signed a special contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. This contract also allowed him to play for their G League team, the Memphis Hustle. He did not play during the 2021–22 season after leaving Memphis. In 2022, Jontay joined the Wisconsin Herd in the G League. He started the 2023–24 season with the Motor City Cruise, another G League team. Later in 2023, the Toronto Raptors signed him. He played for both the Raptors and the Raptors 905. In 2024, the NBA decided to ban Jontay Porter from playing in the league. This happened because he broke the league's rules.

Jontay Porter's Early Basketball Journey

High School Success

Jontay Porter started his high school basketball career in Columbia, Missouri. He played for Father Tolton Regional Catholic High School. In his first year, he scored about 11.8 points and grabbed 7.8 rebounds per game. In his second year, he helped his team win the Missouri Class 3 State Championship. This was a first for Father Tolton.

Later, Jontay moved to Seattle, Washington, with his brothers Michael and Coban. Their father became a coach at the University of Washington. Jontay and Michael played for Nathan Hale High School. Their coach was former NBA All-Star Brandon Roy. Under Coach Roy, the team had a perfect season, winning all 29 games. They also won the Washington Class 3A State Championship. Jontay averaged 14.3 points and 13.6 rebounds per game there. This helped him become well-known alongside his brother.

Choosing College: A Big Decision

Jontay was first expected to graduate high school in 2018. He was ranked as one of the top players by ESPN. But things changed when his father became a coach at the University of Missouri. His older brother, Michael, decided to play for Missouri instead of Washington. Jontay then decided to finish high school a year early. He joined his brother at the University of Missouri in 2017. Before starting college, Jontay grew taller. This allowed him to play as a power forward or even a center.

College Basketball Career

Jontay Porter began playing for the Missouri Tigers in November 2017. He was just shy of his 18th birthday. In his first game, Missouri won against Iowa State University. A few days later, he scored 11 points and had 8 rebounds. He got his first "double-double" (scoring double digits in two stats) with 11 points and 11 rebounds. This happened in a win against Emporia State University.

In January 2018, Jontay started his first game for Missouri. He had another double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. He continued to start for a few more games. Later, he returned to playing off the bench. In February, he scored a season-high 24 points against Vanderbilt University. He also had 7 rebounds and 6 assists in that game. Jontay started his last game of the season in the NCAA Tournament.

After his first year, Jontay thought about joining the NBA draft. But he decided to return to Missouri for another year. Many experts thought he would be a top pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

Facing Challenges: Injuries

In October 2018, Jontay faced a big setback. He tore two important ligaments in his right knee during practice. This meant he would miss his second college season. While recovering, he tore one of the ligaments again in March 2019. Despite these serious injuries, Jontay decided to enter the 2019 NBA draft. He was one of many players who tried to join the league early. He also attended the NBA Draft Combine, where players show their skills. Even with his injuries, Jontay chose to stay in the draft. After his injuries, he was expected to be picked later in the draft.

Professional Basketball Career

Starting in the NBA G League

Jontay Porter was not selected in the 2019 NBA draft. This was partly because teams were worried about his past injuries. In March 2020, he signed with the Memphis Grizzlies. He played 11 games for them. He also spent time with their G League team, the Memphis Hustle. In July 2021, the Grizzlies decided to let him go.

After a season away, Jontay joined the Wisconsin Herd in the G League in November 2022. He played for them during the 2022–23 season. In October 2023, he signed with the Detroit Pistons but was later released. He then joined the Pistons' G League team, the Motor City Cruise.

Time with the Toronto Raptors

In December 2023, Jontay Porter signed a special contract with the Toronto Raptors. This contract allowed him to play for both the Raptors and their G League team, the Raptors 905. He played in 26 games for the Raptors. He averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.

End of NBA Career

In 2024, the NBA started looking into Jontay Porter's actions. They found that he had broken the league's rules. These rules are in place to keep the game fair and honest. The investigation showed that Jontay had shared private information about his health. He also limited his own playing time in some games. This was done to affect the outcome of certain bets.

On April 17, 2024, the NBA announced a serious decision. Jontay Porter was banned from the league for life. This means he can no longer play or work in the NBA or its related leagues. He was the first active player to be banned for breaking these types of rules since 1954. After this, some people involved in the situation were also charged. Jontay Porter also faced legal action related to his actions. He later admitted to some of the charges. This led to him being unable to play basketball overseas. The NBA also created a new rule, sometimes called the "Jontay Porter Rule." This rule stops certain types of bets on players with specific contracts.

Personal Life

Jontay Porter comes from a family of basketball players. His older brother, Michael Porter Jr., plays for the Brooklyn Nets. He also has two older sisters, Bri and Cierra. Cierra played basketball for the University of Missouri. Jontay has two younger brothers, Coban and Jevon, who also played college basketball. Coban played for the University of Denver, and Jevon plays for Loyola Marymount University.

Career Statistics

NBA

NBA G League

Showcase Cup

Regular season

College

See also

In Spanish: Jontay Porter para niños

• List of people banned or suspended by the NBA