The 2018 NBA draft will be remembered as one of the deepest and most talented classes of all time. Luka Dončić was selected third overall, while Trae Young went fifth, Jaren Jackson Jr. fourth, Mikal Bridges tenth, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander slipped to 11th. Jalen Brunson fell to 33rd.
At one point, one prospect was viewed above them all and widely projected to be the No. 1 pick: Michael Porter Jr. However, Porter injured his back in his first appearance at Missouri, limiting him to just three college games after undergoing spinal disc surgery. Because of this, he dropped to 14th in the draft despite pleas from Knicks fans, who would later watch the team select bust Kevin Knox with the ninth pick. Porter himself underwent another back surgery that sidelined him for his entire rookie season in the NBA.
More than seven years after falling to the final pick of the lottery, the 6-foot-10 forward is now stepping into a starring role for the first time. “You can see the growth,” Nets coach Jordi Fernández said ahead of Friday’s 125-107 loss to the Detroit Pistons. “We need him to keep growing.”
Porter, who scored a team-leading 28 points against Detroit, landed in a fortunate spot in Denver early in his career, playing alongside Nikola Jokić — the three-time MVP known for his all-time vision and selflessness. For six seasons, Porter was given open looks in ideal spots, shooting over 40 percent from beyond the arc and playing a key role on the Nuggets’ 2023 championship team, contributing on the boards and utilizing his length.
In 2021, Porter was rewarded with a $172 million extension reflecting his star potential. Though he sometimes took possessions off while playing alongside Jokić and Jamal Murray, he carved out an important role.
Now in Brooklyn, Porter — acquired in a trade that included Cam Johnson — lives in the spotlight. At 27 years old, he is a veteran on the league’s youngest team, asked to do more than ever before and thrust into the role many expected him to occupy long ago.
Through Friday, Porter was averaging career highs with 22.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. His 18.3 field goal attempts per game were nearly five more than his previous high.
However, the increased workload and defensive attention have come with some challenges. Porter’s shooting efficiency has dipped, producing career-low percentages on field goals (46.9%) and three-pointers (33.9%). He has also recorded a career-worst 2.4 turnovers per game.
“It’s challenging,” Fernández said. “The intensity he’s playing with is different. Where he was before, it was a different context — not better or worse. He touches the ball more. His turnovers are up, so he’s got to clean that up a little bit. I like his 3-point attempts because he draws so much attention and gets his teammates open. I just want him to get those shots up and make good decisions because they’re going to go in. He’s one of the best shooters in the world.”
Fernández added, “You don’t become a leader and a veteran in one day, and we’re asking Mike [Porter Jr.] and Nic Claxton to be the grown-ups there. They’re professional, responsible, but they’re forced to grow fast.”
Going forward, Porter’s importance will only increase following a hamstring injury that will sideline the team’s second-leading scorer, Cam Thomas, for multiple weeks.
“I’m going to push myself to be able to handle a bigger load than I used to,” Porter said last week. “I’ve always been someone who can adapt to a situation. As the season goes on, I’ll get even more comfortable figuring out how to get good looks against some of these really good defenders. It’s going to be a work in progress.”
https://nypost.com/2025/11/08/sports/michael-porter-jr-is-finally-living-in-spotlight-with-nets/