Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones plans to plead guilty in a federal sports gambling case tied to the alleged sale of non-public information involving LeBron James, according to a report from The Athletic.
Jones, who previously pleaded not guilty after being charged last October, is now expected to change his plea in a case brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. He is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in Brooklyn on April 28.
Prosecutors allege Jones used his access to the Los Angeles Lakers — including his proximity to James as a personal shooting coach — to obtain and sell insider information to sports gamblers.
According to the indictment, Jones was working in an unofficial capacity with the Los Angeles Lakers when he sold injury-related information on a prominent player to bettors.
Damon Jones Accused of Selling LeBron James Game Status to Bettors
According to federal prosecutors, Jones provided advance information about James’ availability ahead of a Feb. 9, 2023 game between the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks.
Court documents allege that Jones told a co-conspirator to “bet big” on Milwaukee because a player matching James’ description would not play. At the time, James had not yet been ruled out publicly.
James ultimately did not play, and the Bucks won the game.
Prosecutors say the information was used to gain an edge in sports betting markets, where even small timing advantages can be significant.
GettyLos Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Damon Jones.
Jones, 49, and LeBron James were teammates with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005 to 2008, helping the franchise reach the 2007 NBA Finals. James later supported Jones’ transition into coaching, aiding his path to an assistant coaching role in Cleveland from 2016 to 2018. Jones has not held an NBA coaching position since, but has maintained relationships across the league.
Federal Case Details Include $100K Bet, Additional Lakers Injury Leak
The indictment also outlines a second alleged instance involving confidential health information about another Lakers player ahead of a Jan. 15, 2024 game.
Prosecutors claim Jones obtained injury details from a player’s trainer and passed that information along to co-defendant Marves Fairley, who then shared it with bettors and placed a wager of approximately $100,000 on the Lakers to lose.
The plan backfired when the Lakers won the game. According to court filings, Fairley later sought repayment from Jones for the $2,500 fee tied to the information.
Authorities allege Jones began attempting to sell insider information as early as December 2022.
LeBron James Not Accused of Wrongdoing in Expanding NBA Gambling Probe
While James’ name surfaced prominently in the case, he has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Previous reporting from The Athletic indicated that James was unaware his playing status had been shared and used for betting purposes.
Jones is one of six defendants charged in the case and is the first to signal an intent to plead guilty. Terry Rozier, who is also named in the same indictment, has pleaded not guilty.
Rozier was recently waived by the Heat. His NBA future remains in doubt with the ongoing case.
The case is part of a broader federal investigation into gambling activity tied to basketball, which has already resulted in guilty pleas from multiple individuals, including former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter.
Damon Jones Also Linked to Separate Federal Gambling Investigation
In addition to the insider information case, Jones is facing separate allegations tied to a rigged poker operation that allegedly defrauded victims of millions of dollars.
Prosecutors claim Jones and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, who has been suspended following his arrest, helped lure participants into the scheme. Jones has pleaded not guilty in that case.
The developments mark a significant turn in what has become a wide-ranging federal investigation, raising continued concerns about the integrity of professional basketball amid the rapid expansion of legalized sports betting.
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