Michael Porter Jr. facts for kids
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Porter with the Denver Nuggets in 2020
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| No. 1 – Denver Nuggets | ||||||||||||||
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| Small forward | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | June 29, 1998 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
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| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 218 lb (99 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Missouri (2017–2018) | |||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2018 / Round: 1 / Pick: 14th overall | |||||||||||||
| Selected by the Denver Nuggets | ||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2018–present | |||||||||||||
| League | NBA | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–present | Denver Nuggets | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Michael Lamar Porter Jr. (born June 29, 1998) is an American professional basketball player. He is often called "MPJ". He plays for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Missouri Tigers. Michael Porter Jr. was a top player in high school. The Nuggets picked him 14th in the 2018 NBA draft. He helped them win their first NBA championship in 2023.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Michael Porter Jr. started high school at Father Tolton Regional Catholic High School in Columbia, Missouri. For his last year, he moved to Nathan Hale High School in Seattle, Washington. His father, Michael Porter Sr., became an assistant coach at the University of Washington. Brandon Roy, a former NBA player, coached the Nathan Hale basketball team.
Junior Year Success
In his junior year at Father Tolton, Michael led his team to win the 3A State Championship. During the summer of 2016, he played for Mokan Elite. He scored about 26.2 points and grabbed 11.5 rebounds per game. He helped his team win the Nike EYBL Peach Jam championship. He was also named Co-MVP with Trae Young, who also became an NBA player.
Senior Year Highlights
In his senior year, Porter was amazing. He averaged 36.2 points and 13.6 rebounds. He led his high school team to a perfect 29–0 record. They also won the Washington Class 3A State Championship. In one game, he scored 52 points and had 23 rebounds. Experts like Rivals.com and ESPN rated him as a five-star recruit. This means he was one of the best young players in his class.
On March 29, 2017, Porter was named MVP at the McDonald's All-American Game. He led the West team to a 109–107 win. He also played in the 2017 Nike Hoop Summit. There, he scored 19 points in 23 minutes, helping Team USA win.
College Career at Missouri
In July 2016, Porter first planned to play for the University of Washington. But after the coach, Lorenzo Romar, was fired, Porter's father became an assistant coach at the University of Missouri. So, Michael Porter Jr. decided to play for Missouri instead.
On March 24, 2017, Porter officially joined Missouri. His younger brother, Jontay Porter, also joined the team.
Injury and Return
Porter got injured in the first game of the season against Iowa State. He had a lower back injury that needed surgery. On November 22, 2017, he had a successful back surgery. Many thought he would miss the rest of the season.
However, on February 22, 2018, Porter was allowed to practice again. He hoped to play before the season ended. NBA team leaders even encouraged him to play if he felt healthy.
Porter returned to play on March 8, 2018, in the SEC tournament. He also played in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. In both games, he came off the bench as a safety measure. On March 27, Porter decided to leave college early and join the 2018 NBA draft.
Professional Career with the Denver Nuggets
Joining the Nuggets (2018–2021)
The Denver Nuggets picked Michael Porter Jr. as the 14th overall player in the 2018 NBA draft. He was expected to be picked much higher, but concerns about his health caused him to fall. The Nuggets even thought about having him sit out his first NBA season because of his back problems. On July 3, 2018, Porter signed a contract with the Nuggets. However, on July 19, 2018, the Nuggets announced that Porter had a second back surgery. This meant he missed his entire first season.
On October 31, 2019, Porter played his first NBA game. He scored 15 points and had four rebounds. On December 29, he started his first NBA game. He scored 19 points in a win against the Sacramento Kings. Just four days later, he scored a career-high 25 points against the Indiana Pacers. On August 4, 2020, after the season was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Porter Jr. scored a new career-high of 37 points. This helped the Nuggets win their first game in the Orlando bubble.
On April 24, 2021, Porter scored a career-high 39 points in a win over the Houston Rockets.
Recent Seasons and Championship (2021–Present)
On September 27, 2021, Porter signed a big contract extension with the Denver Nuggets. It was for 5 years and $172 million. This could go up to $207 million if he makes an All-NBA Team. He was expected to be a main scorer alongside Nikola Jokić. However, on November 29, 2021, after playing only 9 games, Porter had to have a third back surgery. This meant he missed the rest of the 2021–22 NBA season.
In Game 5 of the 2023 NBA Finals, Porter scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. This helped the Nuggets win 94–89 against the Miami Heat. It was the Nuggets' first NBA championship ever!
On March 21, 2024, Porter scored 31 points. He also made his 193rd three-pointer of the season. This broke the Nuggets' record for most three-pointers in a season, which was 192. On November 10, 2024, Porter scored 17 points and made the game-winning shot against the Dallas Mavericks.
Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | Denver | 55 | 8 | 16.4 | .509 | .422 | .833 | 4.7 | .8 | .5 | .5 | 9.3 |
| 2020–21 | Denver | 61 | 54 | 31.3 | .542 | .445 | .791 | 7.3 | 1.1 | .7 | .9 | 19.0 |
| 2021–22 | Denver | 9 | 9 | 29.5 | .359 | .208 | .556 | 6.6 | 1.9 | 1.1 | .2 | 9.9 |
| 2022–23† | Denver | 62 | 62 | 29.0 | .487 | .414 | .800 | 5.5 | 1.0 | .6 | .5 | 17.4 |
| 2023–24 | Denver | 81 | 81 | 31.7 | .484 | .397 | .836 | 7.0 | 1.5 | .5 | .7 | 16.7 |
| Career | 268 | 214 | 27.8 | .499 | .410 | .807 | 6.2 | 1.2 | .6 | .6 | 15.7 | |
NBA Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Denver | 19 | 3 | 23.7 | .476 | .382 | .743 | 6.7 | .8 | .7 | .3 | 11.4 |
| 2021 | Denver | 10 | 10 | 33.2 | .474 | .397 | .810 | 6.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 | .3 | 17.4 |
| 2023† | Denver | 20 | 20 | 32.6 | .423 | .351 | .793 | 8.1 | 1.6 | .5 | .6 | 13.4 |
| 2024 | Denver | 12 | 12 | 36.9 | .466 | .407 | .769 | 6.8 | 1.1 | .9 | .8 | 15.8 |
| Career | 61 | 45 | 30.8 | .455 | .380 | .775 | 7.1 | 1.2 | .7 | .5 | 13.9 | |
College Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Missouri | 3 | 1 | 17.7 | .333 | .300 | .778 | 6.7 | .3 | 1.0 | .3 | 10.0 |
Personal Life
Michael Porter Jr. is a Christian. He used to be a vegetarian and later a raw vegan. As of 2020, he no longer follows these diets.
He has two older sisters, Bri and Cierra. He also has four younger siblings. His brothers, Jontay Porter, Coban, and Jevon, also play basketball. Jontay played with Michael at Missouri. Coban played for the University of Denver. Jevon currently plays for Loyola Marymount University.
In 2017, Porter dated actress and model Madison Pettis.
On September 10, 2023, Michael Porter Jr. visited Taiwan. He threw out the first pitch at a CTBC Brothers baseball game.
See also
In Spanish: Michael Porter Jr. para niños
- List of NBA career 3-point field goal percentage leaders
