Girlfriend of Houston Rockets player charged with strangulation has fractured vertebra: Prosecutors

NEW YORK CITY, New York (KTRK) -- NBA player Kevin Porter Jr. pleaded not guilty Tuesday to assaulting his girlfriend after he was arrested in Manhattan on Monday.

The Houston Rockets guard was released on $75,000 cash bail. The judge imposed a temporary order of protection.

Porter, 23, is charged with felony assault and strangulation. According to the criminal complaint, Porter's 26-year-old girlfriend, former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick, told police he struck her "repeatedly about the face with a closed fist, causing a laceration above her right eye and bruising and substantial pain to her face" at the Millennium Hilton.

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Gondrezick said Porter applied "pressure to her neck by forcefully squeezing it, causing her to experience difficulty breathing, redness and bruising to her neck, and substantial pain," the complaint said.

Prosecutors said Porter didn't stop until Gondrezick ran out into the hallway covered in blood.

She was taken to NYU Langone Medical Center where doctors said she suffered a fractured vertebra in her neck, according to a criminal complaint.

Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Mirah Curzer said Porter has a history of abusing Gondrezick, including an incident in which he rammed his car into hers.

Gondrezick, the fourth pick in the 2021 WNBA draft, played one season for the Indiana Fever and is currently a free agent. She is also an actress and model.

Porter had signed a sizable contract worth over $15 million which starts next season with the Rockets, despite the fact he had a history of trouble.

In November 2020, while playing for the 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.

Porter, a 2019 first-round draft pick from USC, was traded from Cleveland to Houston a few months later after he reportedly blew up at the Cavaliers' general manager after finding out 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.

The Houston Rockets said they are looking into the investigation, but at this point, had no further comment.

Porter is due back in court on Oct. 16. The Rockets are scheduled to play a preseason game that day in San Antonio, with their regular season tipping off about two weeks later.

ABC News and ESPN contributed to this report.