Police arrested and charged 23-year-old NBA player Kevin Porter Jr. Monday morning (September 11) in relation to an incident where he allegedly assaulted and strangled his girlfriend, a 26-year-old former WNBA player who has not yet been named by authorities.
According to officials, police have responded to a 911 call reporting an assault at New York's Millennium Hotel Broadway in Times Square.
"Upon arrival, officers were informed that a 26-year-old female sustained a laceration to the right side of her face and was complaining about pain to her neck," a New York Police Department (NYPD) spokesperson said. "A preliminary investigation on scene determined that a known individual struck her multiple times upon her body and placed his hands around the neck."
The woman was taken to hospital for treatment as investigations about the incident continue.
Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets said they are in the process of "gathering information" about the incident but have not provided further information about the matter.
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Who is Kevin Porter Jr.?
Porter's NBA career has been very complicated ever since he became the 30th overall pick in the 2019 draft after spending a single season at USC, where he was suspended due to conduct and anger management issues.
He eventually settled with the Cleveland Cavaliers for his rookie season but left the team right after for personal reasons. He was then traded to Houston for a top-55-protected second-round pick in January 2021 in the wake of a shouting match with Cleveland team officials, ESPN reported.
Porter then signed a four-year contract extension worth as much as $82.5 million in the previous season, with only the $15.9 million salary for this season fully guaranteed in the deal, which was uniquely structured due to Porter's history of off-court issues, including an incident where he allegedly punched a woman and pulling her hair while in downtown Cleveland.
He was also allegedly involved in a car accident where it was discovered he was in possession of a loaded gun.
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