New York City police have reported that Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested on Monday and is now facing charges of strangulation and assault against a 26-year-old woman. The incident has created shockwaves within the NBA community. File Photo by Etienne Laurent/EPA-EFE
Sept. 11 (UPI) — Reports have surfaced that Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. has been taken into custody in New York City. The authorities have charged him with assault and strangulation, which has sent shockwaves throughout the sports world.
An NYPD spokesperson quoted in the media stated that Porter, 23, was apprehended early on Monday after the police responded to a distress call from a hotel. Upon arrival, it was determined that a 26-year-old woman had sustained injuries to her face and neck, allegedly caused by Porter.
“A preliminary investigation on scene determined that a known individual struck her multiple times upon her body and placed his hands around the neck,” said the spokesperson. The victim was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
In a shocking twist, ABC News revealed that the complainant is Porter’s girlfriend, Kysre Gondrezick, a former WNBA player. The couple had been in the city for Fashion Week and had been seen together at various events, according to the broadcaster’s sources.
A spokesperson for the Rockets stated that the team is aware of the incident but declined to comment further.
This is not the first time Porter has been involved in legal issues.
While playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Porter was arrested in November 2020 on charges of improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, failure to control the vehicle, and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. However, those charges were later dismissed.
Following an outburst directed at team officials over his locker being reassigned, Porter was traded by the Cavaliers the following year. Despite his off-court incidents, the Rockets signed him to a four-year, $82.5 million extension in the previous season, keeping him under contract until the end of the 2026-27 season due to his scoring prowess and versatility on the court.
It is important to note that according to the NBA’s domestic violence policy, which was agreed upon by the players’ union in the recent collective bargaining agreement, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has the authority to void contracts and disqualify players from the league based on the outcome of investigations, as ESPN reports.
