Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones set to reverse plea in federal gambling trial
Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones has requested to change his plea to guilty after he was charged with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering, and accused of sharing and selling insider information about undisclosed details of NBA games on numerous occasions.
Jones’ request was noted in a court filing on April 16, obtained by USA TODAY Sports, and the in-person change-of-plea hearing is set for April 28 at 11 a.m. ET.
According to prosecutors, Jones gave NBA lineup decisions and pre-released medical information to his co-conspirators, who then placed significant wagers based on the tips. The medical information allegedly involved LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who were playing for the Los Angeles Lakers at the time.
Before a Lakers game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 9, 2023, authorities say Jones texted a co-conspirator, alerting them to bet on the Bucks before the injury statuses of both teams were released.