Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. has been one of the most intriguing NBA voices off the court lately, and his appearance on Respectfully The Justin Laboy Show only added to his reputation for candid takes. In a wide-ranging conversation, Porter opened up about relationships, his vision of the perfect wife, and even some eyebrow-raising financial choices.
When asked about the qualities he values in a partner, Porter described his ideal woman as a balance of modern independence and traditional values.
“I think it’s like a balance between, like, an independent woman, like a strong independent woman, but also a woman who’s like traditional in a sense, that wouldn’t mind raising kids and being at the crib…That’s how my mom was.”
“My mom was like, the best hooper in Iowa. She still holds scoring records. Like, she scored 75 points in a college game one time. She averaged like 40 or 50. So she was like playing overseas. And then, you know, her and my dad linked up.”
“And she ended up getting married and then had the kid. And at first, she always thought that she wanted to just be like, a woman who always had her thing going. But once she had some kids, then she was like, oh, I want to stay at the crib, be a homeschool mom. She homeschooled all of us.”
“So I saw that. So that’s why I said like, a balance between like, an independent woman, but also a woman that’s kind of traditional, kind of like, you know… I don’t want to say the word submissive because that gets a bad connotation, but like, a woman that acts like a woman.”
“I don’t want a woman that acts like a dude, you know what I mean? I know what you’re talking about. So I think that’s the first thing. I think secondly, like, they got to share some type of similarity in beliefs and morals and like, faith in God.”
The conversation also drifted into Porter’s personal life, where he admitted to splitting rent with his ex-girlfriend despite being on a $200 million contract. He revealed that after their breakup, he debated whether to keep paying. MPJ also confessed to spending $200–$250 per day on Uber rides in New York City instead of driving
While his off-court comments spark debate, Porter’s on-court responsibilities are far clearer. Now with the Nets, he’s expected to take on a leading scoring role after averaging 18.2 points and 7 rebounds last season with Denver.
For Porter, the picture he painted of his perfect wife shows someone who combines tradition, independence, and shared faith. Whether or not he finds that balance, his words suggest he’s looking for something deeper than the spotlight usually affords an NBA star.
