NEW YORK (UNITED STATES), September 12 (dpa/EP) –
Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested this Monday accused of assaulting and strangling his girlfriend, former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick.
Porter and his girlfriend were staying at the Millennium Hotel in New York and, according to a police report, she became angry because he returned early in the morning and locked her out of the room. Porter was able to gain access to the room with the help of hotel security, and then he assaulted her, according to the report.
At 6:45 local time, police responded to a 911 call accusing Porter of assault, and after an investigation, police arrested the 23-year-old on charges of assault and strangulation.
“On arrival, officers were informed that a 26-year-old woman had suffered a laceration to the right side of her face and was complaining of pain in her neck,” a police spokesperson said. “A preliminary investigation at the scene determined that an individual known to her struck her several times on her body and placed his hands around her neck,” she added. Gondrezick was taken to the hospital for a medical evaluation.
The Rockets issued a statement following the arrest. “We are in the process of gathering information regarding the matter involving Kevin Porter Jr.,” they said in a statement. “We have no further comments at this time,” they concluded.
Porter was the Rockets’ second-leading scorer last season, averaging a career-best 19.2 points per game and averaged 5.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds. He is about to enter his fifth season in the NBA and fourth in Houston after spending his 2019-20 rookie season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Selected 30th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2019 Draft, Porter was traded to the Cavs and was sidelined at the start of the 2020-21 season following a car accident investigation. Cleveland ended up trading him to Houston in January 2021 after he incited a locker room altercation with team officials.