Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones is set to change his plea to guilty in a federal gambling case. Court filings indicate he requested a change-of-plea hearing after initially pleading not guilty in November. The case involves allegations of selling nonpublic injury information to bettors.
Damon Jones, who played 11 seasons in the NBA and later coached for teams including the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers, faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. He was arrested by the FBI in October alongside former Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and ex-Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier as part of an investigation into illegal sports betting and rigged games. Jones pleaded not guilty on November 6 but has now sought to alter his plea, according to recent court documents reported by CBS News. His lawyer, Kenneth Montgomery, told ABC News that Jones is not cooperating with authorities. Prosecutors allege Jones and co-conspirators defrauded betting companies by using insider NBA information to place wagers and launder proceeds. Specific incidents include a February 9, 2023, text before the Lakers' game against the Milwaukee Bucks, where Jones reportedly urged bets on Milwaukee due to an unreported injury to a player widely believed to be LeBron James, who later sat out with ankle soreness. In another case on January 15, 2024, ahead of a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Jones shared details about Anthony Davis's ankle issue, leading to bets against the Lakers despite Davis playing well in their victory. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr. described the scheme as one of the most brazen sports corruption cases since online betting's legalization. LeBron James had no knowledge of Jones selling information about him, according to The Athletic.