Not so long ago, Michael Porter Jr was considered the best prospect in his class.
Sadly, a back injury took a massive blow on his draft stock, making him slide all the way to the 14th pick and right into the Denver Nuggets’ lap.
And, while his defense and durability have raised serious doubts, his upside as an offensive juggernaut makes him one of the most interesting young players to follow right now.
Needless to say, signing him to an extension is a no-brainer for the Nuggets. So, even though there haven’t been many reports about it, he recently confirmed that things are heading in the right direction:
“Everything is sounding great, in the direction that I’d like to be headed,” Porter told the Denver Post. “Nothing is set in stone, but everything is going smooth as far as that goes.
“One thing about (his agent Mark Bartelstein) Mark – something probably could’ve been done already but Mark is the best in the business,” Porter added. “I told him, ‘Take your time, do your thing. I’m in no rush, I’m in grindmode. I’m not stressed about it. I’m just in the gym, and whenever you’ve got some news for me, hit me up.’”
Porter’s talent is undeniable and his impact was immediate. Nonetheless, his activity on social media and some controversial statements made him a bit of a polarizing figure around the NBA community.
That’s why he wanted to clear the air on multiple subjects and decided to start his interviewing podcast “Curious Mike” to address and voice his opinions:
“I’m never someone that would just go into being silent instead of voicing my opinion, but I think that the reason that ‘Curious Mike’ (started) – I’ve become so passionate just about having these conversations – is because I haven’t always done it the right way,” Porter added.
“I’ve tweeted little things or said something on Snapchat in a quick little thing that people have no context or didn’t understand where I was coming from,” he said. “I didn’t explain where I was coming from. I didn’t explain that, you know, I’m not saying I’m always right. I’m just saying my opinion, now what do you think? Like, there was no space for that. … And of course, people if they disagree are gonna jump down your throat. … I think that those are all topics that should be talked about. I just think you need to make sure it’s in the right space.”
There’s no doubt that Porter Jr has a feel for having people talking about him. But, if he stays focused on basketball and stays healthy, there’s no doubt that he’ll be a star.
