Toronto Raptors

Jontay Porter has just been banned from the NBA for LIFE ... after league officials say the Toronto Raptors player not only bet on his own team to lose, but also manipulated his play to tip the scales in his favor!

Adam Silver just announced the historic punishment on Wednesday ... explaining league investigators discovered that in March, Porter took part in a gambling scheme that ultimately called into question the integrity of the NBA's competition.

They claim the 24-year-old gave confidential information about his health to at least one known bettor. They say another bettor Porter knew then placed an $80K wager that Porter "would underperform" in the Raptors' March 20 tilt with the Sacramento Kings.

Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter could be booted from the NBA for LIFE if the league finds the gambling allegations made against him are true ... with commissioner Adam Silver calling the bombshell accusations a "cardinal sin."

Porter -- who hasn't played since the claims were made public last month -- has been under fire over two games in particular this season ... when sportsbooks noticed some head-scratching activity on prop bets involving the big man.

The 24-year-old left both games early due to either injury or illness ... meaning folks who hammered the under on any Porter bets would be in for a big payday.

Porter could be in a world of trouble if the NBA determines he had anything to do with the betting activity ... 'cause Silver made it crystal clear he's not taking the claims lightly.

"I have enormous range of discipline available to me," Silver said at the league's board of governors meetings this week. "It's cardinal sin what he’s accused of in the NBA."

"The ultimate extreme option I have is to ban him from the game. That’s the level of authority I have here because there’s nothing more serious."

Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett is breaking his silence on his little brother's death ... saying Nathan's passing is "a lot tougher" than any other loss he's experienced in his life.

The NBA player was emotional when he spoke about his late 19-year-old brother with reporters at Friday's practice ... his first time rejoining the Raptors since the family tragedy.

"I’ve had some people in my life, but this one hit a little harder for me," Barrett said.

"This one is definitely a little different, it’s a lot tougher, and I just think that you’ve gotta push forward every day, gotta be able to try to figure it out."

The Barrett family released a statement earlier this month ... saying Nathan was surrounded by family members and loved ones at the time of his death, although additional details have not been made public.

Nathan was also an athlete -- he followed in his brother's footsteps by playing basketball at Montverde Academy. However, he changed course and was pursuing a career as a pilot.

"If I know my brother, he would want me to be here, to be playing," Barrett added, "to try to continue to make the Barrett legacy grow."

Gradey Dick is denying any tomfoolery was involved in his jersey exchange with Anthony Black ... telling reporters he simply wanted to show love to his buddy.

The Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic rookies went stupid viral with their postgame trade over the weekend ... with many pointing out the suggestive phrase their last names spelled out when they posed for a pic (hint: Black's surname came first).

Dick was asked about all the hoopla on Tuesday ... and he swore up and down it was nothing more than two longtime friends reconnecting.

"That's my guy," Dick said at practice. "I've been playing against or with him around since middle school days. So, that's been my guy for a long time."

Dick defended the move ... adding, "Guys jersey swap with their boys. That's my friend."

When asked if he has any other jersey swaps lined up, Dick said he only has one criteria.

"If I played with them growing up and they're my guys, then I'll jersey swap with them. Nothing more to it."

While Dick's reasoning behind choosing Black for the popular tradition checks out, it's pretty clear the guys purposely positioned themselves to have a bit of fun ... especially considering it appeared they orchestrated the whole thing before smiling for the cameras.

The Orlando Magic realized it made a huge mistake on Sunday ... after its social media team posted what it felt was an innocent jersey swap between Gradey Dick and Anthony Black -- before catching on to the wildly inappropriate message the exchange spelled out.

The two rookie hoopers met up on the court to show love to each other following the Magic's 111-96 win over the Toronto Raptors ... and after talking for a bit, it appeared a lightbulb went off in both Black and Dick's heads.

The 2023 lottery picks decided to gift each other the jerseys off their backs as part of the common NBA tradition ... but it was clear they had an elaborate plan to crack a quick joke using their surnames.

The broadcast cameras caught Black running over to a photog to make sure they captured the swap ... and when he posed alongside Dick, he positioned himself to his left so their last names read ... well, you get it.

Black had a smirk on his face as he held Dick's jersey ... and his buddy was also smiling from ear to ear.

The Magic innocently published a shot of the exchange on X ... but after a bit, it was deleted due to the influx of users reacting to the viral moment.

The basketball community is rallying around Toronto Raptors player RJ Barrett ... after it was revealed his brother, Nathan, recently passed away.

Nathan's former youth basketball coach, Chris Stewart, confirmed the tragic news on Thursday ... saying the athlete was special to the program.

"Nathan was only with us for a short time in grade 7 before he moved to Florida but whenever he was back in Mississauga the boys connected," Stewart said.

"No parent should ever have to bury a child, hug your kids today a little longer. You will be missed Nathan, RIP ❤️🏀🙏🕊️"

Details surrounding his death have not been revealed at this time.

Nathan -- a 6-foot-1 guard -- played at Montverde Academy, just like RJ. He had dreams of becoming a pilot.

"In my family, we’re very competitive," RJ told SLAM in 2018. "Everyone is always trying to beat each other. Everyone is an athlete, so that’s where I get all my competitive drive."

RJ spent one season at Duke University before going 3rd overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. He played for the Knicks until he was traded to the Raptors in December.

Barrett -- who did not play in Wednesday's game against the Detroit Pistons -- has been ruled out of Friday night's contest against the Orlando Magic ... and understandably, it is unclear when he will return to the court.

The Barrett family released a statement on Nathan's death ... saying he passed away surrounded by his loved ones.

"While our family is devastated by this great loss, we will continue to cherish the memories and time spent together. Nathan was a God-fearing young man of strong character. He was thoughtful, kind, loving, compassionate, creative, admirable and driven."

"Though his time with us was brief, he will live forever in our hearts."

Una niña de 8 años cantó con gran pasión el himno nacional en un partido de los Pacers a principios de esta semana, ¡y fue tan épico, que el equipo lo elogió como una actuación "sin igual"!

El nombre de la niña es Kinsley Murray, y después de ganar fama cantando himnos antes de los partidos en todo el país, Indiana le pidió que tomara el micrófono justo antes del inicio del juego el lunes contra los Raptors de Toronto.

Murray, que estaba ataviada con un vestido rojo, blanco y azul, primero cantó "O Canada", antes de comenzar su confiada versión de "The Star-Spangled Banner".

Echa un vistazo al video desde la pista del Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Murray alcanzó todas las notas altas con mucho brío y el público respondió entusiasta en todo momento.

Después, los Pacers tomaron a TikTok para aplaudir el espectáculo.

"La pasión. El oufit", escribió el equipo. "Esta interpretación del himno fue inigualable".

Murray, sin embargo, ha estado impresionando con su canto mucho antes de que el mundo de la NBA pudiera tener un vistazo de ella esta semana. ¡La chica ha estado cantando en los partidos desde que tenía al menos 6 años!

De hecho, Murray acudió al partido entre Dayton y Davidson la noche después de su actuación con los Pacers para impresionar al público de Ohio.

An 8-year-old girl belted out an ultra-passionate rendition of the national anthem at a Pacers game earlier this week ... and it was so epic, the team praised it as an "unmatched" performance!

The youngster's name is Kinsley Murray -- and after gaining fame for singing pregame anthems all across the country -- Indiana tapped her to grab the microphone just prior to its tip-off on Monday against the Toronto Raptors.

Murray -- decked out in a red, white and blue dress -- first sang "O Canada" ... before she began her confident version of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Check out video from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse court ... Murray attacked all of the high notes with a whole lot of flare -- and the crowd roared every time.

Afterward, the Pacers took to TikTok to applaud the show.

"The passion. The oufit," the team wrote. "This anthem performance was unmatched."

Murray, though, has been crushing the song long before the NBA world got its glimpse of her this week ... as she's been croonin' at games since she was at least 6 years old!!

In fact, Murray cruised over to the Dayton vs Davidson game the night after her Pacers show ... to wow the crowd in Ohio.

Warriors coach Dejan Milojević's tragic death has resulted in heartbreak throughout the NBA ... including Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic, who gave a touching tribute to his friend in Wednesday's postgame press conference.

The Serbian coach was visibly emotional when asked about the shocking news following the Raptors' 121-97 win over the Miami Heat ... a victory he dedicated to Dejan.

Rajakovic -- who became the Raptors HC last June -- explained he addressed the team prior to tipoff ... and shared a special message from the heart.

"I told my guys that I love them," the 44-year-old coach said, fighting back tears.

Rajakovic -- who had been close with Dejan for years -- revealed the opening play of the game had been designed by the late coach ... something he did on purpose.

"Opening play in the game was [an] ATO that Decky, my friend, I learned that play from him," Rajakovic said.

"That's what he brought to [the] NBA, that's what he brought to Golden State. I stole that play from him and that was our opening play tonight and we were able to score on that one."

Several NBA players and coaches also paid tribute to Milojević since his unexpected death ... including Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic and Boban Marjanovic, who is also from Serbia.

"You inspired me to be the best version of myself every day and your influence has changed my life," the Houston Rockets center said.

"Thank you for helping me accomplish my dreams! You’re one of the best coaches I was blessed to play for. I pray for your family and friends during this time as we will miss you greatly. God received an angel today. Forever in our hearts. 🙏"

Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic's all-time rant on referees after losing to the Los Angeles Lakers just cost him a ton of dough -- the league announced it has fined him $25k for his comments.

As we previously reported, the first-year coach went scorched earth on officials over the free throw disparity in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's contest ... calling it "completely BS" the Lakers got 23 attempts, while his squad only got two in the 132-131 loss.

Considering it's against NBA rules to criticize officials in public, a financial punishment was pretty much a sure thing as soon as the comments came out of Rajakovic's mouth.

The punishment was made official on Thursday ... with Joe Dumars announcing the decision.

Many will say the rant was worth the $25k ... as it quickly went viral on social media, with some talking heads giving DR props for sticking up for his players.

Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic reached his boiling point after his team lost to the Lakers on Tuesday ... teeing off on referees for giving L.A. 23 free throws in the fourth quarter.

Rajakovic -- who's in his first season with the Dinos -- didn't hold back in his rant to media members after the 132-131 loss ... calling it "outrageous" the Purple and Gold continued to get calls in their favor ... and suggesting officials were helping LeBron James and Co. win the contest.

"What happened tonight, this is completely B.S.," Rajakovic told reporters. "This is shame. Shame for the referees, shame for the league to allow this. Twenty-three free throws for them, and we get two free throws in the fourth quarter. Like, how to play the game? I understand -- respect for All-Stars and all that, but we have star players on our team as well."

Rajakovic points out his star player Scottie Barnes was worthy of getting calls as he drove to the rim throughout the game ... but finished with just two attempts from the charity stripe.

"How is that possible? How are you going to explain that to me?"

Lakers star Anthony Davis had 41 points in the matchup ... with 11 coming from free throws in the final period. Toronto only had 13 free-throw attempts throughout the game.

"They had to win tonight?" Rajakovic added. "If that's the case, just let us know, so we don't show up for the game. Just give them a win. But, that was not fair tonight. And this is not happening first time for us. Scottie Barnes is going to be All-Star. He's going to be the face of this league, and what's happening over here during whole season, I've been holding it back, it's complete crap."

LeBron got wind of Rajakovic's comments ... and his response was simple -- "I feel like they fouled and we didn't."

Ex-NBAer Evan Turner also weighed in on the Serbian coach's gripe ... with many calling him out for what is being considered a xenophobic take on the matter.

"You gotta let your assistant coaches do the rant when 'you have accent,'" Turner said on Instagram.

German hooper Dennis Schroder was quick to check him ... replying, "Bro chill."

The Los Angeles Lakers weren't the only ones who won in Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night ... a fan did too -- after he took home $100K by sinking a half-court shot!!

It all happened during a break in the action of L.A.'s game against the Toronto Raptors ... when Fidel Olmos stepped onto the hardwood to compete in a shooting contest.

The game was simple ... if Olmos hit the bucket from 47 feet out, he'd take home some serious coin. If he didn't, well, at least he got to grace the same floor as LeBron James for a moment.

But, Olmos was able to drain the basket ... and when he hit it -- the crowd went wild. Even Lakers star D'Angelo Russell -- who was right near the basket when the ball went through -- had to give it up for the guy.

The 34-year-old California native told ESPN's Dave McMenamin after he made the shot that it was super improbable ... considering he's only made two in his whole life previously.

Olmos said he's going to use the money to pay off his debt, help a couple of folks out, and treat himself.

"I would've been OK with 20 bucks," he said, "but this feels good!"

Eric Montross -- the ninth overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft -- has passed away after a battle with cancer, his family announced Monday.

He was just 52 years old.

Montross was a star for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels ... winning a national championship in 1993 before playing eight seasons in the pros for the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors.

"The family of Eric Montross (Laura, Sarah, Andrew, and Megan) is announcing that he passed away on Sunday, December 17, surrounded by loved ones at his home in Chapel Hill," a statement released by UNC said.

"Eric was diagnosed with cancer in March 2023, and his family is grateful for the tremendous support and the truly overwhelming love expressed by so many people as he battled with his signature determination and grace."

"They also thank the many members of the medical community -- and particularly those at UNC Lineberger Cancer Center -- who matched his fight with equal passion. To know Eric was to be his friend, and the family knows that the ripples from the generous, thoughtful way that he lived his life will continue in the lives of the many people he touched with his deep and sincere kindness."

Montross was an All-American for UNC ... and received All-ACC honors in 1993 and 1994.

9:35 AM PT -- Turns out Gradey's intro was more PG-13 than rated R ... 'cause the Raptors tell us their announcer did actually say the D-word, but instead went with the clean version, "Big Big Energy!"

Latto's smiling somewhere ... after the Toronto Raptors PA man announced rookie Gradey Dick in the most hilarious way during player introductions -- "Mr. Big Dick Energy!"

The WTF moment happened right before the Raptors took on Damian Lillard and the Bucks at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Wednesday.

The Raptors' PA announcer began introducing the Raptors starting lineup ... which for the first time ever, included Dick.

The announcer made sure GD's first time starting would be very special ... and the intro was hysterical.

"Wearing number one, Mr. Big Dick energy!" the announcer yelled, before eventually saying his full name. Video of the intro has gone viral.

Of course, it's not the first joke that's been made about Gradey's last name since the 19-year-old was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft ... Raptors fans immediately began having fun with it.

"I’m not a fan of grading draft picks this early but I’m no stranger to grading Dick picks," a fan said on draft night in June.

Insert a million and one other jokes here.

Gradey's been a star since he arrived in the city of Toronto ... and even become buddies with Drake. In fact, Gradey made a cameo in Adonis' music video for his song, "My Man Freestyle!"

Drake está añadiendo a su colección de joyas una nueva pieza de personalizada, rindiendole homenaje a su ciudad natal y a sus equipos favoritos de deportes profesionales.

La última adición del rapero es apodada la "Joya de la Corona de Toronto" por el joyero Alex Moss, el creador detrás de la nueva pieza de Drake.

Como se puede ver, Drake ordenó una enorme cadena de diamantes con un colgante helado aún más grande, con logotipos de la NHL Toronto Maple Leafs, la NBA Toronto Raptors y MLB Toronto Blue Jays.

La famosa Torre CN de Toronto también ocupa un lugar destacado, con los Raptors y Blue Jays mascotas que rodean el famoso edificio del horizonte de la ciudad.

Drake hace algunas propuestas, y dice que cualquier equipo de Toronto que gane un campeonato podría llegar a aferrarse al singular bling por toda la temporada, algo así como la tradición del trofeo de la Copa Stanley de hockey.

Los Blue Jays fueron expulsados de la postemporada de béisbol la semana pasada sin ganar un partido, pero hay esperanza para los Maple Leafs y Raptors. Las temporadas de la NHL y la NBA apenas están comenzando.