NEW YORK (AP) – Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr was arrested on Monday and charged with assault and strangulation after allegedly attacking his girlfriend at a New York City hotel.
Porter, 23, is accused of hitting the woman several times and putting his hands around her neck, police said. The woman, 26, was taken to a hospital with a cut to the right side of her face. The incident happened around 6.45am at the Millennium Hilton near the United Nations in Manhattan, police said.
Porter remained in police custody as of Monday afternoon. It wasn’t immediately known if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf. A message seeking comment was left for his agent. In a statement, the Rockets said: “We are in the process of gathering information surrounding the matter involving Kevin Porter Jr. We have no further comment at this time.”
Porter, a 2019 first-round draft pick, has played four seasons in the NBA. Last year, as he averaged 19.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game, he signed a lucrative four-year extension with the Rockets. Porter’s career, though, has been marred by off-court issues.
In November 2020, while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Porter was arrested after police said they found a loaded handgun and marijuana in his car after a single-vehicle crash. Porter claimed he didn’t know the gun was there, and his charges were eventually dismissed.
