Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested early Thursday morning in Orlando as part of an FBI sports betting and gambling probe, law enforcement sources told CBS News.
The Eastern District of New York and FBI Director Kash Patel are expected to hold a press conference at 10 a.m. ET to announce arrests tied to the ongoing investigation.
Rozier’s arrest came just hours after the Heat’s season-opening game Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic, a game he did not play in, despite being listed on the active roster.
The exact charge he faces was not immediately known.
According to earlier reporting from ESPN and CBS Sports, federal investigators have been examining unusual betting activity linked to a March 2023 game when Rozier played for the Charlotte Hornets, including heavy wagers on his player stats. At the time, the NBA said it found no evidence that Rozier violated league rules.
Rozier played four and a half seasons with the Charlotte Hornets, becoming one of the team’s leading scorers and averaging more than 19 points per game before being traded to the Miami Heat in early 2024.
Team officials and Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra have not commented publicly on Rozier’s arrest.
More high-profile arrests in connection to illegal betting
Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was also taken into custody in Portland, Oregon, sources told CBS News. Former NBA player Damon Jones was also arrested in connection to the sports betting charges investigation.
New York City Police Department sources told CBS News that the arrests are in relation to two federal criminal cases.
One involves a sports betting ring connected former and current NBA players, including some who allegedly faked injuries. The other case involves illegal high-stakes poker games involving coaches and operated by organized crime figures. Thirty-one people are being charged in the second case, the NYPD sources said.
Rozier was arrested in connection with the first case, while Billups was arrested in the second one, the sources said.
Earlier this year in a separate case, former NBA player Gilbert Arenas was arrested for allegedly operating an illegal gambling and poker ring out of a California home that he owned.
Terry Rozier’s rise with the Boston Celtics
Before joining Miami, Rozier spent four seasons with the Boston Celtics, where he developed a reputation as a hard-nosed defender and clutch performer in the playoffs.
Drafted by Boston in 2015, Rozier played a limited role early in his career but gradually earned more minutes under coach Brad Stevens. By the 2017–18 season, he emerged as a key contributor, stepping into the starting lineup after injuries to Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward.
That postseason, Rozier became one of the Celtics’ breakout players, averaging 16.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists while helping Boston reach the Eastern Conference Finals. He earned praise for his intensity and leadership, including a standout 29-point performance against the Philadelphia 76ers in the playoffs.
Rozier played a total of 272 games with the Celtics, averaging 7.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game before being traded to the Charlotte Hornets in 2019.
