Cavs Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff Reveals The Threats He Receives Due To Sports Betting

J.B. Bickerstaff, the coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, disclosed to the NBA that he was threatened by gamblers the previous season.

Cavs Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff Reveals The Threats He Receives Due To Sports Betting

In response to a question about sports betting posed by Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, who mentioned that he occasionally feels like a “prop,” Bickerstaff acknowledged that bettors had been in touch with him.

J.B. Bickerstaff, the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, joined the list on Wednesday night when he disclosed that he was compelled to report the NBA threats he got from gamblers the previous season.

“They got my telephone number and were sending me crazy messages about where I live and my kids and all that stuff,” Bickerstaff told reporters before the Cavaliers fell 107-104 to the Miami Heat. “So it is a dangerous game and a fine line that we’re walking  for sure.”

Bickerstaff added that the individual was found but no charges were pressed against him.

In his fourth season as a full-time Cavaliers player, Bickerstaff noted that his work has grown more difficult due to the rise in sports gambling in the United States.

“It brings added pressure,” he said. “It brings a distraction to the game that can be difficult for players, coaches, referees, everybody that’s involved in it. And I think that we really have to be careful with how close we let it get to the game and the security of the people who are involved in it.

“Because again, it does carry a weight. A lot of times the people who are gambling like this money pays their light bill or pay their rent, and then the emotions that come from that. So I do think we’re walking a very fine line and we have to be extremely careful in protecting everybody who’s involved.”

According to Bickerstaff, the league must take steps to shield players, referees, and other staff members from the disruption that sports betting may bring.

Following a road defeat to Cleveland on March 8, Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert remarked that gambling is “hurting our game.” This prompted him to bring up NBA officials. Gobert said throughout the game that gambling had an impact on the officials; as a result, he was given a costly technical foul for making a money gesture toward an official.

Bickerstaff appears to concur with the prevailing opinion that sports betting is become too entwined with athletics for comfort.

“We really have to be careful of how close we let it get to the game and the people who are involved in it,” he stated.

How long has JB Bickerstaff been coaching?

J. B. Bickerstaff
Cleveland Cavaliers
College Oregon State (1997–1999) Minnesota (1999–2001)
NBA draft 2001: undrafted
Position Forward
Coaching career 2004–present

Does JB Bickerstaff have kids?

J.B. Bickerstaff (@jbbickerstaff_) / X. Cleveland Cavaliers head coach’s official Twitter account. Father of three and proud husband!

What is JB Bickerstaff salary?

It is reported that during his initial tenure with the Cavaliers, Bickerstaff made between $1 and $3 million a year. According to sources, he signed a new contract that is reportedly worth between $3 and $5 million year.

 

 

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