Police arrested Rockets forward Kevin Porter Jr. Monday morning in New York for allegedly assaulting and strangling his girlfriend, former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick, multiple outlets reported.
Porter Jr. reportedly returned from a night out to the Times Square hotel he was sharing with Gondrezick early Monday morning. Gondrezick, upset with his late arrival, locked him out, ABC reported.
Porter gained entry with the help of hotel security and upon entrance began to allegedly beat his girlfriend, per ABC.
Yikes: Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend in New York, per ABC. pic.twitter.com/7wQLRgbcKE
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Police responded to a 911 call and arrived at around 6:45 a.m., according to ESPN.
“Upon arrival officers were informed that a 26-year-old female sustained a laceration to the right side of her face and was complaining about pain to her neck,” a police spokesperson told ESPN. “A preliminary investigation on scene determined that a known individual struck her multiple times upon her body and placed his hands around the neck,” the spokesperson concluded.
Gondrezick was transported to the hospital for further evaluation, per ESPN. Porter is being held at the NYPD’s 17th precinct in Manhattan, ABC noted.
“We are in the process of gathering information surrounding the matter involving Kevin Porter Jr.,” the Houston Rockets said in a statement. “We have no further comment at this time.” (RELATED: LeBron James Tweets Broadcaster Should Be Fired For Remark About Kevin Porter Jr. Pulling ‘That Trigger’ Like His Dad)
Porter Jr., 23, signed a four year contract with the Rockets last year, worth up to $82.5 million. However, only this year’s salary of $15.9 million is guaranteed because of his “history of off-court issues,” according to ESPN.
The Cleveland Cavaliers traded Porter to the Rockets following his rookie season amid a shouting match with Cavaliers personnel, according to ESPN. In 2021 he missed several days after an alleged altercation at a strip club. Porter Jr. also stormed out of the stadium in 2022 following a heated verbal battle with assistant coach John Lucas.