The Miami Heat showed “full support” for guard Terry Rozier after he was arrested for his alleged involvement in an illegal betting scheme this week.
Rozier is alleged to have faked an injury during a game on March 23, 2023, when he was a member of the Charlotte Hornets, so his friends and co-conspirators could place wagers on his “under” prop bets.
Rozier did not play in Miami’s season opener on Wednesday and was arrested the next morning, and later was placed on leave by the NBA.
Friday’s shootaround without Rozier prompted reality to set in for the Heat, who had a game that night against the Memphis Grizzlies.
“You support him through and through. That’s our brother at the end of the day,” Heat captain Bam Adebayo said at the shootaround, via ESPN. “It felt kind of weird without him being here, actually, because he’s the first person I get to talk to in the morning. He brings that great energy to our team.”
“We stand behind him. Full support.”
“Terry is somebody who is very dear to all of us,” added head coach Erik Spoelstra. “He’s had a real positive impact on our locker room, and the staff and players alike, and that includes last year, when he wasn’t in the rotation oftentimes. We send our thoughts and our care for him as he goes through this.”
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“You’re left with no other choice (but to move on),” Spoelstra added. “The league doesn’t wait. It doesn’t stop for you. … You have to learn how to compartmentalize and focus on the most immediate thing, and that’s preparing for an important game tonight.”
Miami walloped the Grizzlies, 146-114.
Neither Hornets officials nor betting companies were made aware of Rozier’s plan, according to the Department of Justice indictment, and Rozier was not listed on the team’s injury report.
Deniro Laster then allegedly sold that information to other co-conspirators, and numerous people placed wagers totaling roughly $200,000 on Rozier’s “under” prop bets to hit in both parlay and straight wagers. After Rozier played just nine minutes and never returned, the bets won. Rozier and Laster counted cash winnings at Rozier’s home in Charlotte roughly a week later, the indictment says.
Rozier and Chauncey Billups, the latter of whom was arrested as part of an illegal poker ring, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The NBA announced that Billups and Rozier were placed on immediate leave from their teams, “and we will continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities.”
“The integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the NBA said.
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