Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry says he “wouldn’t worry” about the NBA’s integrity despite a FBI investigation into illegal sports betting.
Miami Heat player Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups are among dozens arrested as part of a sweeping investigation that also includes allegedly rigged, mafia-linked poker games.
Rozier and Billups were named by federal prosecutors in two separate indictments on Thursday. Both men deny the allegations.
Rozier, 31, is among six people arrested over alleged betting irregularities. They include NBA players being accused of faking injuries to influence gambling markets.
There is greater concern about the impact of gambling on the integrity of American sports, with most US states having legalised sports betting since the US Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018.
“I think on the whole, everybody’s very mindful of what to do, what not to do, and understanding the landscape of sports right now in general,” said Curry, who has twice been the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.
“And that’s not just a NBA thing, this is new territory for everybody. So I think, on the whole, we all are very responsible.
“The integrity of the game is fine, and then obviously we let the situation play out, whatever happens. But I wouldn’t worry about that too much.”
Warriors team-mate Draymond Green, who has won four NBA championships with Curry, added: “I was shocked. It’s a tough moment for the individuals involved, a tough moment for the league.
“But I’m not going to sit here and be like, ‘man, you all partner with a gambling company, you open a can of worms’. That can of worms can be open with partnering with gambling companies or not.
“Partnering with a gambling company is not going to make gambling more accessible to us. The accessibility is what it is.”