The NBA is full of redemption stories. Derrick Rose underwent multiple knee injuries and surgeries with the Chicago Bulls but still carved out a productive NBA career, including a 50-point game with the Minnesota Timberwolves. JaVale McGee was a recurring punchline on TNT early in his career before becoming a key piece on three different championship teams. Even Kawhi Leonard departed San Antonio in the most tumultuous of fashions, only to have an incredible individual playoff run to lead the Toronto Raptors to the franchise's first title.
But sometimes, you run out of chances. Kevin Porter Jr. has learned that firsthand.
Porter, the 30th pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, signed a four-year contract extension with the Houston Rockets before the 2022 season. That contract was worth $63 million and could have paid him up to $82.5 million if he stayed out of trouble. However, after a series of poor decisions, Porter is out of the NBA entirely — forfeiting most of that contract. In early April, he signed a $10,000 deal with Greek squad PAOK.
Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images
When he was in college at USC, Porter was suspended for "personal conduct reasons." That behavior followed him to the pros. He got into altercations with officials and teammates. He was charged with improper handling of a firearm in a vehicle (though the charges were later dropped). The final straw came in September 2023, when Porter was arrested and charged for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick.
The Rockets barred Porter from contacting the team and traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder about a month later. The Thunder waived Porter immediately; they made the move to acquire a couple of draft picks. Porter, who earned about $8 million his first four years in the league, only made $16.9 million from the big contract extension he signed.
Porter accepted a plea deal with the New York Police Department in January 2024. The final charges: guilty on a misdemeanor charge of reckless assault and a second-degree harassment violation.
Porter's future is cloudy, and no NBA team wants to take on that risk. He may get another chance someday, but he'll likely never recoup the millions that he lost.
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