The federal gambling scandal that sent shockwaves through the NBA last fall is about to produce its first guilty plea. Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones is scheduled to appear in Brooklyn federal court on May 6 for a change-of-plea hearing, according to the Associated Press — making him the first person among the more than 30 arrested in the FBI’s sweeping probe to formally admit wrongdoing.
The development marks a significant turning point in a case that has already implicated some of the most recognizable names in the league.
From not guilty to guilty
Jones, 49, had previously pleaded not guilty to two separate federal charges — wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. The indictments against him alleged that he profited from rigged poker games and, more seriously for the NBA, that he passed undisclosed injury information about star players to sports bettors who then used that information to place wagers before the news became public.
His scheduled change-of-plea hearing signals that negotiations with federal prosecutors have reached a resolution, though the specific terms of any agreement have not been disclosed ahead of the May 6 court date.
The text messages at the center of the case
Among the most damaging allegations in the indictments against Jones involves a series of text messages sent on January 9, 2023. At the time, Jones was identified in court documents as an unofficial assistant coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. According to prosecutors, he sent messages to associates that a player identified only as Player 3 would not be playing against the Milwaukee Bucks that night.
The unnamed player was described as a former teammate of Jones, a detail that pointed clearly to LeBron James. The message, according to the indictment, read: “Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out.” James did not play in the game.
The allegation that Jones used his access to the Lakers organization — even in an unofficial capacity — to funnel non-public injury information to gamblers represents one of the most serious integrity-of-the-game concerns the NBA has faced in years. Jones had previously served as an official assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2016 to 2018, and his continued association with the league in the years that followed gave him access that federal prosecutors allege was exploited for financial gain.
A scandal that swept up major names
Jones was arrested in October alongside Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier in a coordinated federal sweep that netted more than 30 individuals connected to nationwide gambling operations. The investigation had been building for years, with reports emerging as early as January 2025 that Rozier was under scrutiny.
While all three NBA figures drew significant attention, Jones was widely considered the most troubling case from the league’s perspective. Unlike Rozier, who was an active player accused of sharing information, or Billups, whose charges centered on different conduct, Jones was accused of operating at the intersection of coaching access and organized gambling — a combination that strikes at the foundation of competitive integrity.
Context within a broader league reckoning
The FBI probe arrived roughly 18 months after the NBA handed down a lifetime ban to former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter, who was found to have disclosed non-public information to gamblers, wagered on NBA games himself and deliberately limited his participation in games for betting purposes. That case was considered unprecedented at the time. The October arrests suggested it was part of a far larger pattern.
Jones‘s guilty plea will be the first formal resolution in a case that legal observers and league officials agree is far from over. With Billups, Rozier and dozens of others still working through the legal process, the full scope of what the FBI uncovered is only beginning to come into public view.
Source: Sports Illustrated / Associated Press