Explained: How LeBron James' name is linked to shocking NBA betting scandal

Veteran superstar LeBron James' name has surfaced in the federal investigation into illegal NBA betting. The Portland Trail Blazers’ head coach and a Miami Heat player Terry Rozier were among more than 30 individuals arrested Thursday by the FBI in a sweeping crackdown on two major gambling operations. Authorities said the schemes involved leaking inside information on NBA players and rigging poker games backed by Mafia families.

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Blazers coach Billups faces charges of conspiring to fix high-stakes card games tied to La Cosa Nostra. Meanwhile, Heat guard Rozier is accused in a separate plot of using confidential player information to place winning bets on NBA contests. Also arrested was former NBA assistant coach and player Damon Jones, also a veteran of the NBA with 11 years in the game, who is alleged to have been involved in both gambling schemes.


Indictments allege that former Cavaliers assistant Jones, who has close ties to James, shared non-public information about player injuries and game availability to benefit a gambling ring. One example cited involved James being ruled out of a February 2023 game due to ankle soreness, information reportedly used by bettors linked to Jones.

The indictments reference several unnamed NBA players whose injury status and game availability drove betting activity, though none are accused of wrongdoing or aware of the scheme.

Players identified through injury reports include James, Anthony Davis, and Damian Lillard. Documents indicate defendants shared information regarding their participation in a March 24, 2023 game involving the Portland Trail Blazers, as well as two 2023–2024 games involving the Los Angeles Lakers.

In the sports betting scheme, the defendants are accused of obtaining confidential information from NBA players or coaches that could affect player performance and sharing it with others to place bets. According to the indictment, players occasionally modified their performance or exited games early to manipulate prop bets - wagers predicting whether a player would surpass specific statistics, such as points, rebounds, or assists.