In a stunning turn of events, Terry Rozier’s Miami Heat teammates and head coach have come forward and defended him in the wake of his arrest on Thursday.
Rozier, 31, was taken into custody at the team’s hotel in Orlando in relation to an alleged scam to defraud sportsbooks by placing bets on leaked locker room secrets.
A federal indictment went as far as accusing the veteran player of limping out of a game ‘prematurely’ in 2023 so his pals could cash in by predicting he would barely score any points.
Rozier was in uniform as the Heat played the Magic on Wednesday evening, though he did not play in the game, and on Friday the team will return to the court for the first time since his arrest, when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies.
Ahead of the game, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra was asked for his take on the situation, which he remained coy over. However, he did delve deep into Rozier’s character and what he brings to the Heat locker room.
Spoelstra said: ‘Obviously we can’t comment on the situation but Terry is someone who is very dear to all of us.
Terry Rozier was arrested on Thursday in relation to an alleged scam to defraud sportsbooks
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and star Bam Adebayo offered their support to Rozier
‘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 often times. You send our thoughts and care for him as he goes through this’.
Meanwhile, Rozier’s teammate and Heat captain Bam Adebayo also reflected on the situation and insisted that the team will offer their ‘full support’ to the point guard.
Speaking to reporters, Adebayo said: ‘We support him through and through. That’s our brother at the end of the day
‘It felt kinda weird him not being here actually, because he’s usually the first person I get to talk to. He brings a great energy to our team’.
‘You never want to see something like that happen but, for us as a team, we stand behind him with our full support’.
According to the indictment, released on Thursday morning, Rozier and other defendants ‘had access to private information known by NBA players or NBA coaches’ that was likely to affect the outcome of games or players’ performances.
It is alleged they provided that information to other co-conspirators in exchange for either a flat fee or a share of the betting profits.
The NBA guard was detained at a hotel in Orlando, Florida , where the Heat lost to the Magic
It is alleged that the teams whose games were affected by the sports gambling scheme are the Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, Toronto Raptors, and Portland Trail Blazers.
Rozier’s arrest comes after sportsbooks in multiple states flagged suspicious betting activity on the player’s statistics ahead of the Charlotte Hornets-New Orleans Pelicans game on March 23, 2023.
The FBI alleges that Rozier told the defendants he was going to leave the game early, sparking a flurry of wagers on the under for Rozier’s points, rebounds and assists.
Sportsbooks consequently halted betting on the veteran, but it is alleged that over $200,000 of wagers were placed, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in profits.
