Missouri freshman Michael Porter Jr. has officially declared for the 2018 NBA Draft. An injury plagued freshman season limited him to just three appearances in his collegiate career, the first game of the season and a game each in the SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament.
Porter will be a high lottery pick despite the concerns for his back injury. While he looked subpar in his brief playing time at Missouri, he still has the upside to be the face of an NBA franchise. Porter’s athleticism was lacking severely when he returned to the court after surgery, but once it is fully back it can be what separates his potential.
Michael Porter Jr. is an elite scorer on the perimeter while is also able to attack and finish the rim. The lack of explosiveness disallowed him from showing off that part of his game in March, however three makes from beyond the arc provided assurance that his jump shot should be able to transition immediately
The main bulk of Michael Porter Jr’s game will come once he is able to move fully again. His frame and athleticism make him a menace of a slasher if and only if his ball handling is up to par. His athleticism and ball handling go hand in hand in terms of levels of effectiveness. Porter’s physique had far from fully returned in March, thus his ball handling was completely ineffective.
When and only when he is able to move and attack as he was once able to, Michael Porter Jr. will be a high class scorer in the NBA. Which team he will be doing so with is unknown, but now we know that by mid-July he will be in the NBA.
