Former NBA player Damon Jones set to plead guilty over involvement in gambling case

[p]Jones, 49, was charged over his alleged role in a scheme that prosecutors say provided inside information on injuries and game absences to bettors between December 2022 and March 2024.[/p][p]In one instance, he allegedly shared that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/james-lebron/nuIVxFJk/"]LeBron James[/a] would not play due to injury in a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-lakers/ngegZ8bg/"]Los Angeles Lakers[/a] game against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/milwaukee-bucks/QTBEW6rC/"]Milwaukee Bucks[/a] before that information was made public.[/p][p]Jones initially denied the charges but, according to the filing, will change his plea at an April 28 hearing in New York City.[/p][p]He is the first of six defendants charged in the case, including [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/miami-heat/CQ7AXnT5/"]Miami Heat[/a] guard Terry Rozier, to signal he will plead guilty.[/p][p]Jones is also charged in a second, separate case in which he has pleaded not guilty.[/p][embed guid="71ca25a5-5724-4a0d-bc74-c82f21109096" url="https://x.com/TheDunkCentral/status/2044848774242021563?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]That involves a national network of mafia-linked rigged poker games encompassing around 30 people and the use of highly sophisticated cheating equipment including X-ray tables.[/p][p]Jones had a modest playing career across 11 different teams, notably the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cleveland-cavaliers/xGk13Tb6/"]Cleveland Cavaliers[/a] from 2005 to 2008, where he played alongside four-time NBA champion James.[/p][p]He later became an assistant coach, working again for the Cavaliers from 2016 to 2018 during James's second stint in Ohio.[/p][p]Jones served as James's personal coach during the 2022–2023 season after the star joined the Lakers, without being employed by the team.[/p]