Former Charlotte Hornets star Terry Rozier under investigation in illegal gambling probe
Terry Rozier is being investigated as part of an illegal gambling probe and whether he purposefully manipulated his performance during a game while a member of the Charlotte Hornets.
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the United States Attorney’s Office is looking into the behavior of Rozier — who’s now with the Miami Heat — during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans in 2023.
The federal investigation is part of a wider probe tied to Johntay Porter, the former Toronto Raptors player who’s since been banned by the NBA for life and is facing 20 years in prison after pleading guilty in July to wire fraud conspiracy. The Journal reported that the bettors who arranged for Porter to fix games also used inside information to wager large sums of money against Rozier during his time with the Hornets.
Rozier, according to the report, is not accused of any wrongdoing and hasn’t been charged with a crime. The Hornets referred comment to the NBA.
In response to the report, NBA spokesperson Mike Bass issued a statement.
“The league conducted an investigation and did not find a violation of NBA rules,” the statement read. “We are now aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York related to this matter and have been cooperating with that investigation.”
The former Charlotte star played for the first 9 1/2 minutes of the Hornets-Pelicans game on March 23, 2023, before leaving with an injury. He finished with five points, four rebounds and two assists that night. Rozier was sidelined for the team’s eight remaining games of that season.
Miami acquired Rozier from the Hornets last January for Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first-round draft pick. He was a mainstay in the lineup after coming to Charlotte in a sign-and-trade deal for Kemba Walker in 2019, averaging 20 points, 4.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds in five seasons.
This story was originally published January 30, 2025 at 2:49 PM.
