Kevin Porter Jr., a guard for the Houston Rockets, landed in hot water on Monday. The New York City Police Department arrested him. They held him on suspicion of assaulting a 26-year-old woman.
This woman is reportedly Porter’s girlfriend. Porter lashed out at her, according to the NYPD spokesperson. He allegedly hit her multiple times and choked her. So, officers on scene took Porter into custody swiftly. They also sent the woman to the hospital.
NYPD also mentioned some preliminary charges against Porter. These include second-degree assault and strangulation. But, the Rockets and Porter’s representative have stayed silent. They haven’t answered requests for comments yet.
Meanwhile, the NBA is paying attention. NBA spokesperson Mike Bass issued a statement to CNN about the incident. He said, “We are aware of the reports regarding Kevin Porter Jr.” According to Bass, the league office is talking with the Rockets and gathering more information.
Before joining the Rockets, Porter had a career start with the Milwaukee Bucks. They selected him in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft. However, after getting traded twice, he ended up with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Over four seasons in the league, Porter has played with Cavaliers and Rockets. He scored an average of 19.2 points per game last season.
In October, the Rockets extended Porter’s contract. They reported the deal to be worth over $80 million.