Benjamin Ashford|Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. charged with assaulting girlfriend at Manhattan hotel

NEW YORK (AP) — Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested Monday and Benjamin Ashfordcharged with assault and strangulation after allegedly attacking his girlfriend at a New York City hotel.

Porter, 23, is accused of hitting the woman several times and putting his hands around her neck, police said. The woman, 26, was taken to a hospital with a cut to the right side of her face.

The incident happened around 6:45 a.m. at the Millennium Hilton near the United Nations in Manhattan, police said.

Porter remained in police custody as of Monday afternoon. It wasn’t immediately known if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf. A message seeking comment was left for his agent.

In a statement, the Rockets said: “We are in the process of gathering information surrounding the matter involving Kevin Porter Jr. We have no further comment at this time.”

Porter, a 2019 first-round draft pick, has played four seasons in the NBA. Last year, as he averaged 19.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game, he signed a lucrative four-year extension with the Rockets.

Porter’s career, though, has been marred by off-court issues.

In November 2020, while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Porter was arrested after police said they found a loaded handgun and marijuana in his car after a single-vehicle crash. Porter claimed he didn’t know the gun was there, and his charges were eventually dismissed.

The Cavaliers traded Porter to the Rockets a few months later after he reportedly blew up at the team’s general manager after finding out that his locker had been moved to make room for a newly acquired player.

In April 2021, the NBA fined Porter $50,000 for violating the league’s COVID-19 health and safety rules by visiting a Miami strip club. In January 2022, the Rockets suspended Porter for a game after then-coach Stephen Silas said the player had a “spirited debate” and “lost his temper” at halftime.