Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. pleaded not guilty to assaulting his girlfriend Tuesday in New York after an attack that left her with a broken vertebra and a cut above her eye.
Porter was charged Monday with second-degree assault and strangulation after his arrest for allegedly attacking his girlfriend, WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick.
He was released on $75,000 bail, with the judge imposing a temporary protective order on him.
Gondrezick told police that Porter punched her repeatedly in the face, cutting her above the right eye and causing bruising, according to the complaint seen by ESPN.
Later, examination at the hospital revealed that Gondrezick suffered a broken vertebra in her neck.
Kevin Porter Jr. appeared in court on Tuesday after being arrested for attacking his girlfriend
Porter Jr. pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree assault and strangulation
NYPD told DailyMail.com when they arrived on scene that the 26-year-old woman had a cut on the right side of her face. Initial investigation revealed she was struck multiple times, officials said.
According to NBC, Gondrezick was taken to the hospital with at least one broken bone and bruises after the alleged attack, which took place Monday night at the Millennium Hotel near Times Square.
It is alleged that the incident escalated after Porter Jr. had locked out access to their hotel room. Hotel security was called before police were alerted.
The NBA player had reportedly returned from a night out early Monday morning. Gondrezick, unhappy with how late he returned, locked the door.
Once Porter entered the room — with the help of hotel security — he allegedly beat up Gondrezick.
In a statement, the Rockets said they are “in the process of gathering information regarding the matter.” An investigation is underway.
This isn’t Porter’s first offense. In 2020, while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Porter was arrested on weapons charges and driving without a license.
Porter and Gondrezick have been dating since February 2022. She posted on X, formerly Twitter, and shared photos from their one-year anniversary.
Gondrezick was the fourth pick in the 2021 WNBA draft when she was selected to play guard for the Indiana Fever.
She was the highest selection in program history at her alma mater, West Virginia. As well as the school’s second player to join the Fever.
Gondrezick’s father, Grant William Gondrezick, was an NBA player. He played for the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers and played professionally internationally. He was a high school basketball coach before his death in 2021.
Her parents met in 1993 and married in 1995. Kysre’s mother, Lisa Harvey-Gondrezick, is also a basketball coach.
More to follow.