Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier were both arrested Thursday morning in connection with federal gambling investigations.
As first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania, Rozier was arrested Thursday at a hotel in the Orlando area. Billups, according to a separate report from ABC News, was arrested in Oregon. That report also states that Billups has been charged in connection with what the outlet describes as “an illegal poker operation tied to the Mafia,” citing police sources.
Per Shams, the separate illegal gambling cases are “related,” with federal and state officials slated to provide additional information at a press conference later Thursday morning. Shortly after reports pointed to the arrests of Billups and Rozier on Thursday, ABC News noted that Damon Jones, an ex-Cavaliers player turned assistant coach, had also been arrested. Further details on exact charges were not immediately available.
Suspicious betting activity was previously reported during a Hornets and Pelicans game in 2023 during which Rozier, a Hornets player at the time, left the court due to what was said at the time to have been a foot injury. This led to a federal probe, with the Associated Press reporting earlier this year that it was part of the same investigation that ultimately ensnared Jontay Porter of the Toronto Raptors.
Following this latest gambling scandal to be associated with an NBA star, which came in the wake of casino-related allegations against former Cleveland Cavaliers player Marcus Morris, and Gilbert Arenas' arrest in connection with an alleged illegal gambling business, we're taking a look back at some similar controversies from the past. Worth noting, of course, is that such controversies are not exclusive to the NBA, as MLB and NFL players have also found themselves embroiled in comparable situations over the years.
Below, we dig a little deeper into a selection of headlines-dominating NBA gambling scandals, starting with a look back at a referee who ultimately did time after admitting guilt in a betting scheme.
This story was originally published in July 2025 and has since been updated.
Tim Donaghy
In 2007, Tim Donaghy, a former referee, pleaded guilty to felony charges in connection with a betting scheme in which he instructed others on who whey should put their money behind. Donaghy later claimed he and his family were targeted with mob threats.
Michael Jordan
“No, I enjoy it. It’s a hobby,” Michael Jordan said in a 1993 interview when asked whether he had “a gambling problem.”
At the time, Jordan had been in headlines in connection with a trip to Atlantic City. Unlike others on this list, Jordan has never been accused of a crime with regards to gambling. However, his affinity for gambling has long been the source of interest from some members of the general public. Even Drake recently joked about the NBA legend's fondness for the pastime.
Charles Oakley
New York Knicks alum Charles Oakley was arrested in 2018 in connection with alleged gambling fraud. Later that year, Oakley pleaded no contest to what attorneys said at the time was a “simple misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct,” which meant the would-be issue had been formally resolved.
Jontay Porter
Jontay Porter was banned from the NBA in April 2024 for league rule violations including “disclosing confidential information to sports bettors.” Later that year, Porter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, offering an apology while also conceding that what he did “was wrong [and] unlawful.”
Malik Beasley
In June of this year, Associated Press and ESPN sources were cited as saying that Malik Beasley was a subject of a gambling investigation stemming from New York.
“At this point, Malik has not been charged with any crime and there has been no formal accusations of wrongdoing,” a legal rep said, adding that the public should give the “presumption of innocence.”
The current status of the reported investigation is unknown.
Marcus Morris
Marcus Morris Sr. was arrested at an airport in Florida this week, with fraud initially cited as the charge against him. His brother, Markieff Morris, was quick to dispute the allegation, as was agent Yony Noy. Additional details were later made public, namely that Morris’ arrest stemmed from an alleged $265,000 casino debt.
“Say what you want but FRAUD will never be something I’m a part of or wasting my time with,” Marcus later said in a since-removed Instagram update, adding that “no money was exchanged or taken from any casino.”
Gilbert Arenas
Also this month, Gilbert Arenas was arrested alongside five other defendants in connection with an alleged illegal gambling business focused on “high-stakes poker games,” per prosecutors. Arenas, now out on bond, is charged with the following: conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, operating an illegal gambling business, and making false statements to federal investigators.