Jontay Porter, who has been banned from the NBA after admitting he helped bettors by deliberately playing below his abilities in games, requested permission from a federal court on Tuesday to restart his basketball career in Greece.
Porter, through his attorney Jeff Jensen, asked for changes to his bond conditions so he can regain his U.S. passport, travel within Europe, and live in Patras, Greece, where he plans to play for the Greek club Promitheas BC.
Prosecutors did not oppose the request, according to Jensen.
“The proposed changes would allow Mr. Porter to pursue a valuable — but rapidly diminishing — opportunity to earn income using his primary skill set,” Jensen wrote. “Mr. Porter and his agent believe such an opportunity may not come again. … Since his NBA ban, there have been no other opportunities to continue his basketball career.”
Porter, aged 24, pleaded guilty last month to a federal conspiracy charge related to the scandal that led to his NBA ban.
He is currently out on a $250,000 bond and faces a potential sentence ranging from just under three and a half years to a little over four years in prison.
Jensen has explained that Porter “was overwhelmed due to a gambling addiction.” Porter informed the court that he has completed inpatient rehabilitation for his gambling problem and continues therapy remotely, which would continue unaffected by his move to Greece.
The Greek club has arranged for in-person counseling for Porter, and his mother and mother-in-law will be regularly present to provide additional family support to him and his wife, who is expecting a baby, according to Jensen.
