Dwyane Wade Says He Would Never Repeat 6ft 10 Former NBA Star’s Actions for 1 Reason: “I Stay Away From It”

The downfall of Jontay Porter would look like a lesson to all NBA players. Veterans like Dwyane Wade had the foresight to not fall into a similar rabbit hole in their careers. This week on The Wine Down, D-Wade and his co-host, Bob discussed how some acts cost an entire career. Without directly mentioning it, Wade referred to the family issues Michael Porter Jr. is going through. One of them is his brother’s lifetime ban from the NBA. As sorry as he feels for the Porter family, Wade would’ve done everything to avoid that fate.

“When it comes to gambling, and I never got into it, and I don’t really understand it all and so I stay away from it,” Wade told his co-host. A league investigation concluded that Jontay, the former Toronto Raptors player, was in violation of league rules regarding gaming. He was served a lifetime ban from the NBA while his brother, Michael still plays for the Denver Nuggets.

Wade said, “I do know one thing, you can’t gamble on your team or your sport.” It’s something the 3x champion has stayed away from. Notorious gamblers in the NBA community have refrained from betting on basketball or their own teams too.

On the other hand, Jontay reportedly disclosed confidential information about his own health status to an NBA bettor. The individual subsequently won over a million dollars on a sports book betting on Jontay underperforming in a March 20 game. The league investigation also found that he limited his own participation in games to influence the outcome. Because of the suspicious circumstances surrounding the bet, the winnings were not paid out to the bettor.

Wade’s stance on gambling was expressive and he emphasized that Adam Silver had to set a precedent to prevent players from betting on their own sport. He, however, did feel sympathy for the Porter family.

Dwyane Wade’s hopes for the Porter brothers

Michael Porter Jr. is focused on winning a second consecutive title with the Denver Nuggets. His personal life though is in emotional turmoil. Besides Jontay’s troubles, two other brothers, Jevon and Coban were arrested for separate incidents. For Michael in particular it hasn’t been easy but his teammates are helping him through it.

Wade expressed that perhaps they don’t know the Porters’ side of the story and that’s why he’s sympathetic to Michael. “I’m a big fan of Michael Porter Jr,” Wade said though he admitted not following Jontay Porter’s career. “It’s very unfortunate, it’s obviously a stain right now on the family’s brand and name, but, you know, hopefully, they come out of it better.” 

So far there are no further developments on Porter’s brothers. Meanwhile, Michael Porter Jr. remains the biggest offensive factor for Denver this playoffs.