Breaking: Bucks Bobby Portis Slammed With Huge Suspension

February 20, 2025


A brutal blow to the Milwaukee Bucks' chances down the stretch, as key big man Bobby Portis has been hit with a 25-game suspension by the NBA for violating its drug policy.

“I was dealing with an elbow injury and using an NBA-approved medication for pain and inflammation," said Portis. "During that time, I made an honest mistake and took a pain-inducing anti-inflammatory pill that is not approved.” 

Portis's agent released a statement to Shams on what the incident entailed.  

"I am devastated for Bobby right now because he made an honest mistake and the ramifications of it are incredibly significant," wrote Mark Bartelstein.

"Bobby unintentionally took a pain medication called Tramadol, thinking he was taking a pain medication called Toradol. Toradol is an approved pain medication that he has used previously and that teams and players use for pain and inflammation at times.

"Tramadol, however, is not an approved pain medication and was just recently added to the banned substance list this past spring. The Tramadol pill he took came from an assistant of his, with a valid prescription for the painkiller, which he mistakenly told Bobby was Toradol. This was, again, an honest mistake that was made because of the similarity in the names of the drugs and the fact they both serve a very similar purpose.

"Bobby Portis is absolutely not a drug abuser."

Portis was playing over 25 minutes a game for the Bucks as a key big off the bench, scoring 13.7 points per game, 8.3 rebounds while shooting 36.4% from three-point range. He's been a big part of the Bucks since their championship team in 2021.

"This has been incredibly difficult for him," continued his agent, "but he will accept this penalty with grace and turn this into a great opportunity to improve and further build his reputation and performance in every way, both on and off the court." 

Photo: © Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Go To: NFL Rumors | MLB Rumors | NHL Rumors