The NBA said Portis was penalized with an unpaid 25-game suspension because he tested positive for Tramadol. The drug is a painkiller often used for patients following surgery, according to the Mayo Clinic. Portis explained in a statement that he used the drug while recovering from an elbow injury and had been using "an NBA-approved medication for pain and inflammation." "During that time, I made an honest mistake and took a pain-reducing anti-inflammatory pill that is not approved," he said. "I feel horrible and recognize that I’m responsible for what I put in my body." The 30-year-old apologized to the entire Bucks organization, including the fans, for his error.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis has been hit with a massive suspension. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Portis has been suspended a staggering 25 games for violating the league's anti-drug policy. Portis being suspended for this many games means he is all but going to miss the rest of the regular season. Portis' agent has responded to the violation and provided a bit of details about what led to the player's massive suspension. According to a release from Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports, "Bobby unintentionally took a pain medication called Tramadol, thinking he was taking a pain medication called Toradol." Apparently, Portis accidentally took the wrong pain medication, which led to the suspension.
This suspension will sideline him until Milwaukee’s final four games of the regular season against the Timberwolves on April 8, the Pelicans on April 10 and two games against the Pistons on April 11 and April 13. Portis is averaging 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds in 25.2 minutes per game for the Bucks this season. Milwaukee is 29-24 and fifth in the East coming out of the All-Star break. Portis was selected with the 22nd overall pick by the Bulls in the 2015 NBA draft. He was a part of the team that helped bring the first title to Milwaukee Bucks in 50 years in 2021.
