In a surprising turn of events, Maverick Carter, the manager of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, has admitted to federal agents that he placed bets on NBA games with an illegal bookmaker. The revelation came during an interview in November 2021, where Carter claimed he couldn't recall betting on Lakers games and denied placing bets for others. Despite this confession, Carter was not the main focus of the investigation and was never charged. He reportedly placed around 20 bets on football and basketball games, ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 each.
The NBA strictly prohibits players, team officials, and league personnel from gambling on league games. Interestingly, while agents are included in the National Basketball Players Association's rule, business managers like Carter are not. This raises questions about the loopholes within the system and whether it needs to be tightened to prevent situations like these from occurring again. It's important to note that Carter's admission came as part of an investigation into Wayne Nix, a former minor league baseball player who operated an illegal sports gambling business for over two decades, with high-profile names like Scottie Pippen and Yasiel Puig allegedly involved. Puig, who initially pleaded not guilty, is set to face trial in January, adding further intrigue to this unfolding story.