Will he be a Shaun Livingston, who bounced back from injury? Will he be a Greg Oden, who had a short, injury-decimated career?
When ESPN ranked Michael Porter Jr. the #2 recruit last year, scouts began drooling at his potential. But even though MPJ is 6’10”, 215 pounds, the oohs and aahs weren’t about his dominance in the middle. It was about his ball handling, shooting ability, and the kind of explosiveness you’d expect of a 6’2” guard.
Porter Jr.’s uncanny skill set brought comparisons to NBA superstar Kevin Durant. And the hype climaxed when Porter Jr. was projected in the pre-season to be the #2 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
First, though, was a year of college. Porter Jr. signed with Washington, but de-committed from the Huskies, and enrolled at Missouri instead, where he was named AP pre-season All-America and also named on the pre-season Wooden Award list.
But like so many things in life, what was projected to be didn’t come to pass.
It all began when he suffered a serious injury during the initial two minutes of Mizzou’s first pre-season game. Porter, Jr. needed a spinal microdiscectomy.
That injury sidelined him for most of the season. He played in only two games at season’s end. In those games, Porter averaged 14 points and nine rebounds, shooting 31% from the floor and about the same percentage from three.
Despite suffering through an injury-riddled season and not achieving the collegiate potential projected for him, Porter Jr. still decided to go pro. And teams were still interested.
Then, just days before the draft, he had to back away from a pro day tryout because of back spasms. Reports said that the spasms were so severe he couldn’t get out of bed that day. Worse yet, there were reports that Porter, Jr. was seen limping at The Barclays Center on Draft Night.
It was no surprise, then, that Porter Jr. slipped down the draft order. Denver picked him at #14.
So the obvious question now is this: What does Porter Jr.’s future look like?
For starters, there’s a good chance he’ll sit out the 2018-2019 season. If he plays, will he play beneath his potential? Those are two big if’s.
Will Porter Jr. be a Shaun Livingston, who bounced back from injury? Will he be a Greg Oden, who had a short, injury-decimated career?
I think it could add up to this: Michael Porter Jr. could be the biggest boom or the biggest bust of the 2018 NBA Draft.
