Michael Porter Jr. and Brother Jontay Sit Down for a 3-Hour Therapy-Style Podcast After the NBA Ban What Was Revealed Will Shock You
The Conversation They Had to Have
For years, the younger brother in the family, Jontay Porter, had held back. He hid parts of his story from the larger world and even from his own brother, Michael Porter Jr.. The reason? The weight of it. The consequences of it. The world-changing fallout of being banned from the NBA for life for a gambling scandal. (Reuters)
Michael is now a player for the Brooklyn Nets and has spoken openly about the emotional toll the situation placed on his family. Recently he revealed that he and Jontay recorded a three-hour podcast conversation a kind of therapy session for brothers who finally decided to speak. He said: “We’re not able to put anything out at this time. But we did sit down to have a three-hour conversation… It was like a therapy session for us because as brothers that was the first time we sat down and really had a full conversation about what really happened, him being super honest and transparent about the entire thing. And it was great.” (PFSN)
It is telling because Michael admitted he was long left on the outside looking in. “For a long time I was kind of on the outside looking in as well because for a long time he wasn’t trying to involve the family because of the fact that the people that were involved were dangerous people.” (PFSN)
When a brother is banned from the NBA for life, when you realise that the game you grew up playing is no longer on the table for him it affects more than stats. It affects personal identity, family dynamics, trust, and transparency. Michael and Jontay finally cleared some of that air together.
After the Ban: Brotherhood, Reflection, and What’s Next
The high-profile scandal around Jontay Porter is one of the most serious gambling-related cases the NBA has seen. The investigation revealed he disclosed confidential health and playing status to bettors, placed bets on NBA games and prop lines, and the league responded with a lifetime ban. (The Guardian)
Through all of that, Michael had to keep living his career, facing his own pressures, while his brother’s life changed irrevocably. And the podcast didn’t just become a platform for show it became a space for healing. He explained that the conversation with Jontay was full of honesty, full disclosure, and emotional unpacking. It’s rare in pro sports to see an athlete admit to feeling like an outsider in his own family because of what one sibling was going through.
Michael also used the moment to speak broadly about the impact of legalized and widely accessible sports gambling in professional leagues. He pointed out that many players come from “nothing” and that the temptation to gamble, to help friends make a payday, or to be part of something bigger than basketball is very real. (ESPN.com)
The podcast remains unreleased for now. The brothers and their team have opted to wait, perhaps for legal or personal reasons. But the fact that it exists and was recorded says a lot about the state of their relationship now. The healing is not just symbolic it’s ongoing.
In many ways, this conversation is the reset they needed. For Jontay, it is the moment where he stops hiding from his truth. For Michael, it is the chance to step from being a brother waiting on the sidelines into being one who listens, one who supports. And for fans, it is another reminder that what happens off the court often carries more weight than what happens on it.