Seven men from Chile have been charged in Florida federal court with burglarizing the homes of professional athletes across the country, according to a criminal complaint.
Although the complaint doesn’t specifically identify the athletes by name, it lists previously reported burglaries, including that of a Milwaukee Bucks player.
In November, Milwaukee Bucks fan favorite Bobby Portis took to social media to say that his River Hills home had been burglarized while the team played a game at Fiserv Forum against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 2.
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Portis stated that many of his prized possessions were taken during the break-in. He offered rewards for information leading to the recovery of his property and the arrest of those involved in purported crime.
Portis addressed the media at Bucks practice on Wednesday:
“You put all you can into the game and you come home and all your belongings are gone,” he said. “Things that you work hard for. It’s kind of gratifying that these guys have been caught. I’m from Little Rock, Arkansas. I got a chance to embark in the NBA for a decade. It’s not all the way gratifying because you still have to lay your head where you got robbed. Sometimes it’s kind of disturbing. Hopefully, we find out more information. It works me up.”
While progress in the case is being made, the NBA announced on Thursday that it has suspended Portis for 25 games for violating the terms of the NBA/National Basketball Players Association Anti-Drug Program by testing positive for Tramadol.
Portis’ suspension will begin with Thursday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Fiserv Forum.
“I was dealing with an elbow injury and using an NBA-approved medication for pain and inflammation,” Portis said in a statement released by the team. “During that time, I made an honest mistake and took a pain-reducing anti-inflammatory pill that is not approved. I feel horrible and recognize that I’m responsible for what I put in my body. From the bottom of my heart, I want to apologize to the Bucks organization, my teammates, coaches, family and fans. I give everything I have on the court and will terribly miss playing games for the Bucks during this time. I will continue to work hard and be ready for our long playoff run. Thank you for your support. I appreciate it more than you know.”
Bucks general manager Jon Horst, in a statement, described the situation as “a very difficult set of circumstances for Bobby and our team.”
“He and the Bucks organization respect the NBA/NBAPA Anti-Drug Program and will accept what’s been handed down,” Horst said. “But we 100% support Bobby. Together we will take this opportunity to grow and will have a better and stronger Bobby and Milwaukee Bucks team. He’s an integral part of who we are, a huge member of the Milwaukee community, and we look forward to his return.”
Portis, 30, is his 10th season in the NBA and fifth with the Bucks. Born in Mississippi and raised in Little Rock, Portis also played for the Chicago Bulls, the New York Knicks and the Washington Wizards before coming to Milwaukee to start the 2020-21 season. Portis was a key member of the Bucks team that captured the 2021 NBA championship, the franchise’s first in 50 years.
