Bettors would have received information about LeBron’s injury: sources
Damon Jones was arrested for allegedly revealing information about LeBron James’ injuries, a source told AM850, to facilitate illegal betting.
The former NBA player Damon Joneswho played 11 years in the NBA, was arrested Thursday on charges of allegedly disclosing inside information about a prominent basketball player’s injuries to facilitate illegal sports betting.the authorities announced.
LeBron James was the outstanding playeras reported by a source close to James to AM850.
James was not accused of wrongdoing in the prosecution.
Jones was one of 34 people arrestedalong with Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, as part of a year-long investigation that spanned nearly a dozen states and involved tens of millions of dollars, FBI Director Kash Patel said.
The investigation outlined two separate cases: one involving illegal sports betting and another involving rigged poker games involving the mafia, authorities announced.
Jones was an unofficial and unpaid part of former Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham’s staff and is no longer with the team under current Lakers coach JJ Redick. Ham invited Jones to participate in team activities after James spent the summer of 2022 with Jones present at many of his preseason workouts.
James was unaware that Jones, his former teammate and Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach, was participating in betting when Jones was spending time with James and the Lakers during the 2022-23 season, according to the source. The federal indictment alleges that before a Lakers game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 9, 2023, Jones texted an accomplice to “bet big on Milwaukee tonight” because James was going to be out.
James, who surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in the previous game, on February 7, 2023, would miss three consecutive games due to discomfort in his left ankle.
Jones allegedly added via text: “Bet enough so Djones can eat now (too)!!!”
Without James, Milwaukee beat the Lakers 115-106.
Additionally, the indictment alleges that the following season, Jones provided non-public information to a co-conspirator in connection with the Lakers’ game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on January 15, 2024.
The Lakers did not comment on the allegations against Jones when contacted by AM850 on Thursday morning.
After practice Thursday, Redick said the league’s anti-gambling rules have been reiterated to his team this season, regardless of the FBI investigation.
“We’ve already had two meetings about it,” Redick said. “Obviously it’s on everyone’s conscience given the last two years, but other than that, there’s no further comment.”
