The following story deals with domestic violence and may be distressing for some readers.
After being arrested on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023, in New York City on domestic violence charges, former Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. has reached a plea agreement.
As first reported by NBC New York, Porter was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and strangulation following an altercation with his girlfriend at a hotel.
Porter, 24, was taken into police custody at the New York Police Department's 17th Precinct in midtown Manhattan, per ABC News.
Here is the latest information on Porter's case.
Kevin Porter Jr. arrest news, updates
ABC News reported that Porter was arrested in New York City on Sept. 11, 2023, following a physical altercation with his girlfriend, Kysre Gondrezick, a former WNBA player who is currently a free agent.
According to the report, Porter and Gondrezick were staying together at the Millennium Hotel in Times Square. The altercation reportedly occurred as they returned to their hotel room early Monday morning after an evening out.
As outlined by NBC New York, "She returned to the room and went to bed, but Porter Jr. got locked out, sources said, and the altercation escalated from there."
The ABC News report explains that Porter was able to re-enter the couple's hotel room after contacting hotel security. After entering the room, he reportedly attacked Gondrezick.
Hotel security was again called, and the police were alerted.
According to NBC New York, Gondrezick was taken to the hospital with at least one broken bone and bruising. During Porter's arraignment, prosecutors said that Porter's attack left Gondrezick with a fractured neck vertebrae and a cut above her right eye.
According to a criminal complaint, Gondrezick told police that Porter punched her repeatedly in the face with a closed fist, causing an inches-long gash above the right eye, bruising and substantial pain to her face.
Gondrezick, 26, said Porter also wrapped his hands around her neck and strangled her, causing her to have difficulty breathing, redness and bruising to her neck, and loss of motion to her left arm.
Hospital testing showed that Gondrezick sustained a fracture to one of the vertebrae in her neck, the criminal complaint said.
In November, Gondrezick spoke publicly about the incident in an interview with TMZ Sports, saying a "false narrative" regarding what occurred was being publicized in the courtroom and to the media.
The result of my laceration above my eye did not come from what they publicized and put in a criminal statement. It did not come from Kevin striking me or balling his fist up and hitting me in the face multiple times. My injuries didn't support that — a laceration came from a fall where I hit the wall and I specified that to them, just like they made up the narrative that he strangled me and my neck was broken, which was also false. That a doctor came forth and said was not true. The criminal complaint that is out there is based off of information that officers believed they thought that what happened at the time.
On Jan. 23, 2024, Porter reached a plea agreement of reckless assault in the third degree and harassment in the second degree involving his case with Gondrezick, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. He will be allowed to withdraw the plea in a year upon successful completion of a court-ordered program.
"The resolution will allow Mr. Porter to put this incident, which involved false felony allegations and false facts, behind him with no criminal record and move forward," Porter's lawyers said in a statement to ESPN.
The league's Domestic Violence Policy, which is found in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, says the following:
Acts that constitute domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse are prohibited at all times and regardless of where they occur. For purposes of this Policy, "domestic violence" includes, but is not limited to, any actual or attempted violent act that is committed by one party in an intimate or family relationship against another party in that relationship. ...
The Commissioner may fine, suspend, or dismiss and disqualify from any further association with the NBA and its teams a player who engages in prohibited conduct in violation of this Policy. Repeat offenders will be subject to enhanced discipline.
Porter was selected by the Bucks with the 30th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but he began his career with the Cavaliers. After being arrested on a weapons charge in Ohio in November 2020, Porter was placed on the team's inactive list before he was traded to the Rockets in January 2021. The charge was later dropped.
On Oct. 17, 2023, the Rockets traded Porter to the Thunder. He was subsequently waived and remained a free agent until signing with Greek club PAOK Thessaloniki in April.
As free agency opened on June 30, 2024, Porter reached a two-year agreement with the Clippers and will return to the league after one season away.
The Sporting News will continue to monitor this story and provide updates as they become available.
Resources and support for anyone in the U.S. affected by domestic violence are available 24/7. Call 1-800-799-7233, chat at https://thehotline.org or text "START" to 88788. Follow the National Domestic Violence Hotline on Twitter at @ndvh.
