Prosecutors Got A Guilty Plea In The NBA Gambling Case
Defector • • sports
Key Points:
- Damon Jones, former NBA player and assistant coach, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a federal gambling case involving sharing non-public NBA player injury information for betting purposes and rigged poker games linked to organized crime.
- Jones admitted to providing insider information about player injuries, including those of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, to help place bets during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 NBA seasons while he was an assistant coach for the Lakers.
- Prosecutors highlighted Jones's role in attracting inexperienced poker players to rigged games and passing along injury details in exchange for payment, with one example involving a $2,500 fee for information about Anthony Davis's limited playing time.
- Jones's guilty plea comes amid broader investigations and impending charges against other former NBA players, including Terry Rozier, accused of soliciting and accepting bribes related to the gambling scheme.
- Sentencing for Damon Jones is scheduled for January 2025.
