Milwaukee Bucks star Bobby Portis was handed over a 25-game suspension by the NBA.
The suspension of Bobby Portis was a violation of the league’s substance abuse coverage, the league confirmed in an announcement.
He’s at the moment as a consequence of miss out on many of the remainder of the Milwaukee Bucks common season.
A press release issued by way of Bobby Portis’ agent Mark Bartelstein claims that an “sincere mistake” occurred after the assistant complicated the banned substance tramadol with the authorised drug tradol.
Bartelstein wrote: “I am now devastated for Bobby.
“Bobby unintentionally took a painkiller referred to as Tramadol and was taking a painkiller referred to as Tradol. Tradol is an authorised painkiller he used beforehand, and he was additionally a staff. and gamers might sometimes use it for ache and irritation.
“Nevertheless, tramadol will not be an authorised painkiller, however was just lately added to the listing of gear banned previously spring.
“The tramadol tablets he took got here from his assistant, carrying an efficient prescription of painkillers.
“This was additionally an sincere mistake as a result of similarity of the names of the medication and the truth that they serve very comparable functions.
“Bobby makes use of this anti-inflammatory ache discount drug to take care of the elbow harm he had this fall and to take Torador to alleviate some ache in preparation for the evening’s match. I believed there was.”
Bobby Portis endured numerous troublesome months. Based on ESPN, his house was robbed in November, with one being focused together with a number of skilled athletes.
Portis’ brokers assured him his character and expressed disappointment on the NBA’s lack of tolerance.
“Bobby has an excellent popularity as an excellent individual, a teammate, knowledgeable, with our league, his group and his staff. There are not any huge followers within the NBA than Bobby and me. We’re grateful for the shut and cooperation of the NBA on numerous alternatives.
“We assist the league’s anti-drug coverage and its function in having a good, aggressive, wholesome panorama for athletes associated to abuse, efficiency enchancment points, and many others. Bobby Portis is Completely not a drug abuser. Bobby works tirelessly to spice up his efficiency in all pure, authorized, wholesome methods, however he makes errors and does not have it with out his information. I took the medication.
“At the moment, on this instance, the NBA chooses to interpret that coverage very strictly and could be very, very disappointing that the coverage doesn’t permit one other consequence as a consequence of sincere errors with pure intent. It is there.
“Bobby loves being part of the NBA and is a task mannequin and true ambassador for the Bucks and the Metropolis of Milwaukee.
“This has been extraordinarily troublesome for him, however he’ll settle for this penalty with grace and switch it into an excellent alternative to enhance his popularity and efficiency in each approach, on and off the court docket, and construct on and on the bottom.”
Bobby Portis’ suspension is already within the highlight because it weakens the Milwaukee Bucks’ depth and builds in the direction of the playoffs.
Portis performed 46 video games for the Bucks this season, and the staff gained the NBA Cup.
He averages 25.2 minutes per sport, averaging 13.7 factors and eight.2 rebounds.
Kyle Kuzma is predicted to play a significant function in shifting ahead, however he’s the third highest level contributor on the staff, behind Giannis Antetocomo and Damien Lillard. He must do it now.
