MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Bucks power forward Bobby Portis has been suspended for 25 games for violating the league's anti-drug policy.
The team announced the news Thursday morning.
Watch: Rod Burks on Bobby Portis' 25-game suspension:
With 29 games remaining in the Bucks' regular-season schedule, this means Portis will miss all but four of the season's remaining games.
“I was dealing with an elbow injury and using an NBA-approved medication for pain and inflammation,” said Portis Jr. “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.”
“This is a very difficult set of circumstances for Bobby and our team,” said Bucks general manager Jon Horst. “He and the Bucks organization respect the NBA/NBAPA Anti-Drug Program and will accept what’s been handed down. 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' agent, Mark Bartelstein, told ESPN that his client mistakenly took Tramadol, thinking it was Toradol.
Toradol is an approved pain medication, while Tramadol is is not, Bartelstein said.
"I am devastated for Bobby right now because he made an honest mistake and the ramifications of it are incredibly significant," a statement from Bartelstein reads.
Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports to ESPN on client Bobby Portis' 25-game suspension, detailing what took place: https://t.co/sB9vmPVYxA pic.twitter.com/tVvbotBJlt
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 20, 2025
Portis has averaged 25.2 minutes per game for the Bucks this season, scoring 13.7 points per game, which is fourth among all Bucks players.
Less than 24 hours before his suspension was announced, Portis spoke with the media at practice, reacting to news that seven Chilean nationals were charged in connection to burglaries in several high-profile athletes' homes, including Portis and Kansas City Chiefs players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce:
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