Actress Madison Pettis recently stirred headlines after making blunt remarks about her former relationship with NBA player Michael Porter Jr.
Pettis appeared on the podcast In Your Dreams With Owen Thiele, where the conversation turned toward basketball and whether she would ever date another athlete. During the discussion, she revealed that she had previously dated an NBA player before he entered the league and described the experience in unusually direct terms.
“I mean, my ex is now in the NBA. When we dated, he was in high school and college. I broke up with him before he was in the league because he was a psychopath. I do think a lot of athletes are not great partners, but I wouldn’t, like, rule it out because I do love what they do. I would have respect for them and love to talk to them about, you know, their passion.”
The actress, now 27, dated Porter from late 2016 to mid 2017 when he was one of the most highly regarded high school prospects in the country and later a freshman at Missouri. Their relationship ended before Porter entered the NBA Draft in 2018.
Despite the harsh comment, Pettis clarified that she does not hold a negative view of athletes as a whole. In fact, she admitted she still enjoys watching basketball and even joked about the idea of being connected to the NBA world again someday.
Pettis is far from a random celebrity name. She has been in the entertainment industry for most of her life and is best known for beginning her career as a child actress. Many fans first knew her from Disney projects, particularly Cory in the House, where she played Sophie Martinez.
Over the years, she also appeared in films and television series such as The Game Plan alongside Dwayne Johnson, Life With Boys, and Five Points. She later transitioned into more mature acting roles while also becoming a recognizable face on social media and in fashion circles.
Pettis also revealed that she watches a lot of basketball and keeps up with the league closely. She described herself as a fan of the Golden State Warriors and said she often watches games through NBA League Pass. Her comments quickly drew attention online because Porter has already been the subject of several off-court discussions in recent years.
The forward, who currently plays for the Brooklyn Nets, has built a reputation as one of the more outspoken personalities in the NBA. Porter frequently discusses relationships, dating, and social issues on podcasts and interviews.
One of his most talked-about comments came during a podcast appearance when he admitted that he sometimes plays clips of controversial influencer Andrew Tate during dates to gauge how women react. According to Porter, the idea behind the tactic is to see how someone responds to controversial opinions and determine whether their values align.
He has also spoken openly about the challenges of dating as a professional athlete. Porter once explained that he sometimes hesitates to seriously date women who have previously been involved with other NBA players, suggesting it can create awkward situations within the league.
While those comments have sparked debate among fans, Porter continues to focus primarily on basketball. This season, he has been one of the key scorers for the Nets, averaging around 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while shooting efficiently from the field and three-point range.
As for Pettis, she has largely stayed away from discussing the relationship publicly until now. Her recent podcast appearance marked one of the first times she openly reflected on that chapter of her life. The remarks may have been brief, but they quickly reignited attention around Porter’s personal life and added another unusual chapter to the NBA’s ever-growing collection of off-court headlines.
