A Houston-based domestic violence victim advocacy group is asking for the NBA to levy strong discipline when it comes to punishing players like Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr.
Porter Jr. was charged with second degree assault and strangulation stemming from an incident in New York City involving the Houston Rockets player and his girlfriend, WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick.
‘At what point do leagues say it has gone too far?’ Houston Area Women’s Center president and CEO Emilee Whitehurst told TMZ, adding, ‘Surely it should have happened before now.’
Whitehurst continued, ‘We challenge the NBA and similar professional leagues to strengthen their domestic violence policy and to hold offenders accountable.’
The statement also said, ‘HAWC is calling for public outcry against athletic leagues paying and promoting people with violent reputations. Porter has a longstanding reputation of concerning conduct. He has been suspended, fined, and now arrested for felony assault and strangulation.’
Houston-area and national women’s advocacy groups have called on the NBA to levy a harsh punishment for Houston Rockets Guard Kevin Porter Jr. after his assault arrest in New York
Porter was charged with felony assault and strangulation in an incident in New York City with his girlfriend, WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick
Porter was arrested and arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court earlier this week
In addition to the local group, the National Organization for Women (NOW) also provided a statement to TMZ.
‘The NBA and the Houston Rockets have a choice here – condone or condemn,’ NOW President Christian F. Nunes told the outlet.
‘Does the NBA simply allow a trade and, in turn, permit this type of behavior? Or will the NBA for stand against domestic violence and hold players accountable?’
‘Kysre Gondrezick was hospitalized with brutal injuries – this shouldn’t be a conversation about which team takes Kevin Porter. It should be about how he is no longer part of the league for a felony domestic violence arrest.’
That latter part comes after reports yesterday revealed that the Rockets are looking to trade Porter – even considering giving up draft compensation to get him off their team.
It’s possible that the Rockets could waive Porter if they deemed it necessary, but they would have to pay a significant portion of the four-year, $63million deal he signed back in October of 2022.
According to Spotrac, Porter is owed $15.86m this season. His deal would see him partially guaranteed to the same amount in the 2024-25 season.
The Houston Rockets are ‘exploring options to trade guard Kevin Porter Jr.’, per reports
Per the terms of his contract, $1m of the $15.86m he is owed next season has already been guaranteed as of July 1 of this year. He’s guaranteed an additional $3m on Opening Night of 2023, then an additional $6m will be added on five days after this season’s trade deadline passes.
If the Rockets waived Porter, they would have to buy out his contract for at least the combined $16.86m that he has been guaranteed so far.
Porter’s deal is not guaranteed for the 2025-26 season and the team has a club option to keep him for the 2026-27 season before he eventually becomes a free agent in the summer of 2027.
Gondrezick went to the hospital after an alleged attack at the Milennium Hotel in New York City. The NYPD told DailyMail.com that Gondrezick had a laceration on the right side of her face when police arrived, and a preliminary investigation determined she was struck multiple times.
She was taken to the hospital with at least one broken bone and bruising after the alleged attack, according to NBC.
The NBA player had reportedly returned from a night out in the early hours of Monday morning. Gondrezick, unhappy with how late he had come back, locked the door.
Once Porter got into the room – with the help of hotel security – he allegedly beat up Gondrezick.
This attack led to Porter being charged with second-degree assault and strangulation.
Gondrezick was found with lacerations on her neck and right side of her hotel by police
Gondrezick’s sister – Kalabrya Haskins – deleted a threat addressed to Porter on Monday
In a statement, the Rockets said they are ‘in the process of gathering information surrounding the matter,’ and an investigation is ongoing.
Porter was released on $75,000 cash bail, with the judge ordering him to stay away from Gondrezick and imposing a temporary protection order against him.
‘This is a serious domestic violence case,’ Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Mirah Curzer said in court.
One of Gondrezick’s family members responded to the incident by threatening Porter on a now-expired Instagram story post.
Kalabrya Haskins – the widow of late quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who died at age 24 after getting hit by a dumpster truck on a Florida highway last year – shared the message.
‘@kevinporterjr if you think you gone touch my sister & not get touched,’ Kalabrya wrote. ‘Count ya f***ing days. Better hope and pray you’ll be able to ever walk again let alone dribble.
‘You may have gotten away with this s**t in the past cause yo mama ain’t beat ya a**, but we spank lil punk a** painting nail sissy b****es like you everyday. Don’t show up to that crib. We gone do it to you. Lil b***h.’
