Missouri power forward Michael Porter Jr. has received full medical clearance to participate in basketball activities, a source tells Jon Rothstein of FanRag Sports.
Porter, projected to be a top-10 pick in the 2018 draft, underwent back surgery in November that was expected to sideline him for the entire college season. While he has been cleared for full contract, it’s uncertain whether he’ll return to the court for Missouri before season’s end, writes Jeff Goodman of ESPN.
In Porter’s absence, the Tigers have posted an 18-10 record, with an 8-7 mark in SEC play, putting themselves into the conversation for the NCAA tournament. So it’s possible Missouri’s season will run well into March, giving the freshman time to return.
Whether or not Porter plays another college game, his medial clearance represents an important step for his draft prospects. In his latest mock draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Insider link) had Porter coming off the board at No. 6 to the Bulls. However, Givony cautioned that the results of Porter’s medical examination will play a major role in where he’s ultimately drafted. According to Givony, NBA teams don’t currently seem overly concerned about the youngster’s long-term prognosis.
Idk lot risk if he good buts gets worse or injured again
Best scorer in the draft hands down, any team in the lottery in need of a scorer drafts Porter Jr period.
You can’t say hands down. There are a lot of good scorers in high school that get shut down at the college level and even more that get shut down in the NBA. Look at a guy like Malik Monk. He torched even the best college teams for 30-40 and now he is lucky to get 2 minutes in a game.
I could easily be wrong, wouldn’t be the first time, but Porter is my pick for the biggest bust of the 18 draft. He just has that aura about him.
Unless he plays absolutely terrible, poor play shouldn’t effect his stock too much as most teams will probably chalk it up to rust and essentially starting his season near the end of the season when other college players have been in game shape for months. It might drop him a spot or two, but I think a lottery team outside the top 5 would love if Porter fell to them. But I think the re-injury risk alone is not worth coming back to play unless he plans on staying in school for however many years. If he does want to play, I think it would be smart for Missouri to put him on a minutes restriction throughout the rest of the season though.
No way he’s out of the top 5.
He is currently being projected as outside the top 5. He MIGHT be a top 5 pick, but you can’t say there is no way. People with more knowledge than you or I think there is a way.
Doncic, Bagley, Ayton, Trae Young (off the top of my head) are just four guys who are drawing top 5 interest. Porter JR can be a top 5 prospect but his injury will cause some teams to slightly hesitate. It’ll all come down to how he interviews and performs at the combine though.
Probably won’t show up in combine.
Young has dropped. Oklahoma has lost 9 of 11 and may not make the tournament. His shooting has dropped off considerably, especially his 3 point shooting. It’ll be Doncic, Ayton, Bagley, and Bamba in some order. Then Young, Sexton, Bridges, the Villanova forward, Jaren Jackson, Knox, and Porter in some order. Someone said next year will be year of the centers. Only 1 player (Bol Bol, looks like another Thon Maker) is the only center listed in 247 Sports top 20 that is a center. Better get one this year.
There we go, forgot about Bamba, Sexyon, Bridges, and the Villanova forward (who I think is also named Bridges). I think Porter is, unless he suffers a serious setback or interviews poorly, a top 10 pick at worst. He’s probably a top 5 talent, but teams could pass on him if they think they have a bigger hole at center or guard.
He would look good in that orange and blue at the Garden :)
76ers will draft then red shirt him.
Dude that would not be fair, Porter Jr and Ben Simmons on the same floor? :0 my god that would be a wet dream.
The 20th best player in the NBA with the 6th best prospect in the draft on the floor together. Your wet dreams make me sad.
20th best? Simmons is arguably already top 10.
Over who? I love Ben Simmons but he’s not top 10 yet. Curry, KD, Harden, Westbrook, LeBron, AD, KAT, Giannis are all definitely better than him. When healthy, Kawhi Leonard is too which makes 9. Are you seriously telling me that Simmons is better than Cousins, Lillard, Kyrie, CP3, PG13? You can make the argument that Simmons might not even be the best player on his team (Embiid). Simmons can be top 10 in a few years, but he’s not top 10 right now.
That’s been my target for 2 years. And I was mad that they messed with this year’s draft, would have just given the Kings pick up for Fultz, not 2-5 Lakers. But he’s projected 3-6 atm on several draft mocks I’ve seen. If he falls or if the Sixers can move up to get him, it’s worth it. Otherwise either Bridges will do.
Bulls should draft him.
If I’m Sacramento, MPJ is my top prospect.
Fox-Bogdanovic-Jackson-MPJ-Cauley-Stein
With Hield providing a spark off the bench, that’s a solid core right there
That’ll get Divacs fired!
Who else would they take though? They’re not taking a guard with Fox and Bogdanovic starting and Frank Mason (who looks like a serviceable backup) and Hield off the bench. They could take a big, but they already have WCS, Skal, and Giles. SF/PF is their only spot without some sort of potentially decent prospect currently waiting in the wings.
Wait and see where they are picking first. See how Porter does with his workouts and interviews along with his physical. See if there are any trades. The draft isn’t until July. Someone having a good tournament and making the Final four could move up. We have to see how far Trae Young drops.
Skal and Giles had major knee surgeries out of high school and have never lived up to their projections. I don’t see Divacs taking a chance on Porter because of Labisierre or Giles. Cauley-Stein hasn’t lived up to his draft pick either. Jackson has been in the G League. Fox has been injured and had shooting problems. The Kings are where the Lakers were a few years ago.