Tag: michael porter jr.

Michael Porter Jr. says he supports the WNBA, but his recent hypocrisy says otherwise

Michael Porter Jr. seems to only be using women’s sports as a springboard, and we shouldn’t allow him to.

This season, NBA player Michael Porter Jr. has dedicated his in-season shoewear to driving more awareness to Breanna Stewart’s game and other talented WNBA players who deserve their flowers. But a recent podcast appearance raises questions about his reasoning for doing so.

Porter has been adamant that WNBA players should have their own signature shoes. However, his tone was seemingly much different when he sat down with Ryan Clark’s The Pivot Podcast to discuss other issues affecting women’s basketball players, like the pay disparity between the NBA and WNBA. Former NFL player Fred Taylor asked Porter if he’s been outspoken about the pay wages in the WNBA, and his response is turning heads.

(See the clip below and the 35:40 mark of the video for full context.)

Here’s what Michael Porter Jr. said:

“I see it from both sides. I know these females want to get paid more and they’re very talented, but so is a famous ping pong player. The best ping pong player is just as talented as the best basketball player. That doesn’t mean they’re going to get paid the same. It’s what the people want to watch. As much as I understand females wanting the same treatment as men basketball players, it’s a different sport. They’re not packing out the arenas. Their TV deals aren’t the same. So, as much as I advocate for women and their equality and the respect of their craft and all those things, you can’t pay them the same thing. I do feel like there should be a little way to make a little bit more money because they are very talented.”

Where do I start?

Is it when he referred to the players as females and did not use the same language for his counterparts, thereby reducing their value to only that of what they are biologically?

Is it when he was dismissive of ping pong and women’s basketball players in their respective sports and then suggested that women’s basketball isn’t truly basketball?

Is it when he suggests that people don’t watch women’s basketball and aren’t packing out arenas, like the WNBA did for the 2023 finals? (Or when the Atlanta Dream led the league in sell-out games?) Is it when he says you can’t pay women the same thing but then says he’s an advocate for women?

I’m trying to understand how Porter can claim to be an advocate but then be uninformed and dismissive of those same women. I’m trying to wrap my mind around how Porter is for the WNBA, but doesn’t know the progress a league just under 28 years old has made compared to the NBA, which has been around for over 75 years, despite clear hurdles to equality and growth.

(For comparison, the NBA was still struggling in its 30th year of operation, and it stayed that way well into the 1980s, as playoff games were taped on delay at the time. It’s no secret that the WNBA has faced its fair share of hurdles, but ignoring its tremendous growth, especially in 2023, is an intentional choice.)

Porter’s response to someone asking about what he has done to support women in their quest for better pay leads me to believe that his recent advocacy through shoes is merely performative. His campaign feels inauthentic and screams, “I stand with women’s basketball players, like my mom and my siblings, but I draw the line at tangible actions to support them.”

Porter’s words are incredibly alienating, but I can’t say that I’m shocked by his seemingly disingenuous aurora. It is a painfully loud reminder of how far the WNBA must go to combat misconceptions and discrimination. Everyone wants to be an advocate until it’s time to be an advocate.

Be better, Michael Porter Jr., and, for goodness’ sake, educate yourself.

Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. admires Breanna Stewart’s game and her shoes

Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. recently signed a shoe deal extension with Puma, and wants to continue to push the brand forward.

There have only ever been 12 players with their own signature shoes bearing their name. With the WNBA finished with its 27th season, that is roughly .44 shoe deals per season.

The first shoe deal in WNBA history was the Nike Air Swoopes in 1995, named after legendary player Sheryl Swoopes. In 2021, New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart signed a deal with Puma and was the 10th player in WNBA history to have a signature shoe.

“Hopefully, Puma and I will set the standard and the bar for many more WNBA players deserving a signature shoe,” said Stewart.

Since then, Washington Mystic’s Elena Delle Donne and New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu have had shoe deals. However, Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. is looking to change that.

“You have guys wearing women’s shoes, and it’s usually the other way around,” Porter told Boardroom. “We want to bring more awareness to the WNBA and give those women the flowers that they deserve. I just think it’s cool for me to be able to represent that.”

Porter recently signed a shoe deal extension with Puma, and he wants to continue to push the brand forward along with shining a spotlight on the players of the WNBA.

“I’ve always admired Stewie’s game since back at UConn,” Porter said. “She’s broken tons of records, and ever since her rookie year in the WNBA, she’s done some amazing things. She’s always been a hooper to me.”

He sports Stewart’s signature shoes, the Puma Stewie 2s, on the court and continues to do what he can to support his fellow ballers.

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How Michael Porter Jr. is using his Breanna Stewart’s Stewie 2s to help ignite talk around WNBA signature shoes

Michael Porter Jr. is proudly wearing Breanna Stewart’s Stewie 2s and loving them.

The WNBA only has 12 players who have signature shoes. That’s why accessibility and visibility matter, and part of the reason NBA champion Michael Porter Jr. is wearing Breanna Stewart’s signature shoes this season.

The WNBA is growing, and so is the popularity of its stars. It’s not uncommon now to look across the court and see college basketball players or NBA stars wearing Sabrina Ionescu’s signature shoe, the Sabrina 1.

But what about her teammate and 2023 WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart? Stewart also has signature shoes, and the latest version, the Stewie 2s, are being worn by Michael Porter Jr. of the Denver Nuggets. Porter Jr., who has strong family ties to women’s hoops, is rocking his Stewies 2’s after signing an extension with Puma and to show his love for the sport.

Per Nick DePaula of Boardroom, Porter’s mission is to raise more awareness about Breanna Stewart’s shoes and advocate for other great WNBA hoopers to have a signature shoe:

“I’ve always admired Stewie’s game since back at UConn,” he said. “She’s broken tons of records, and ever since her rookie year in the WNBA, she’s done some amazing things. She’s always been a hooper to me.”

“You have guys wearing women’s shoes, and it’s usually the other way around,” he adds. “We want to bring more awareness to the WNBA and give those women the flowers that they deserve. I just think it’s cool for me to be able to represent that.”

 

Takeaways: Jalen Green enjoys road breakout as Nuggets handle short-handed Rockets

Jalen Green was very efficient with 26 points and 9 assists on hot shooting, but the defending NBA champs had too much for the weary and short-handed Rockets.

The NBA is barely over a month into its 2023-24 regular season, yet due to a scheduling quirk, the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets have already met three times (with a fourth looming next week).

This time, on night two of a road back-to-back, it’s the Rockets who were more short-handed. Starting point guard Fred VanVleet (left thumb sprain) and reserve forward Jae’Sean Tate (left knee soreness) each missed their first game of the season with nagging injuries.

On the other side, Jamal Murray returned from a lengthy hamstring injury, which forced him to miss the earlier Denver-Houston games. Between that and a 30-point outburst by Michael Porter Jr., who made 7-of-12 from 3-point range (58.3%), it was enough for the Nuggets (13-6) to secure a 134-124 win (box score).

Perennial All-Star center and MVP candidate Nikola Jokic was dominant, as usual, with 32 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds, shooting 12-of-19 from the field (63.2%) on Wednesday night.

Yet, the Rockets (8-8) did have clear positives, starting with Jalen Green. The third-year shooting guard, who has largely struggled on the road this season, finished with 26 points and 9 assists while shooting an impressive 8-of-12 from the field (66.7%), 5-of-8 on 3-pointers (62.5%), and 5-of-6 on free throws (83.3%). Alperen Sengun added 22 points and 7 rebounds on 10-of-18 shooting (55.6%).

Here’s our look at highlights and postgame interviews after Wednesday’s game in Denver, along with reaction by media members and fans. The Los Angeles Lakers (10-8) are next up on Houston’s schedule, with Saturday’s road tipoff set for 9:30 p.m. Central.

Bryce Young gives NBA comparisons for himself, C.J. Stroud

Panthers QB Bryce Young revealed his NBA comparisons for himself and for Texans QB C.J. Stroud.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has gotten comparisons to Golden State Warriors guard (and Carolina Panthers fan) Steph Curry, even before he was a Carolina Panthers quarterback. But he may not necessarily agree with that evaluation, at least when it comes to actually playing basketball.

Young spoke with reporters this afternoon, just a few days ahead of meeting the Houston Texans and fellow rookie passer C.J. Stroud for their Week 8 showdown. The longtime friendship of the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks was, of course, a topic of discussion during the presser—which even ventured into the hardwood.

“He can hoop,” he said of Stroud’s basketball skills. “We have different games. I’m more of a point. He’s a shooter. He can shoot. He got a strap. He’s a shooter-off-the-catch type of player. I’m more on-the-ball. He can hoop, for sure.”

So, if he can hoop, who does he hoop like? Darin Gantt of Panthers.com tried to get to the bottom of it, asking Young about his NBA comparisons for himself and for Stroud.

“I’d like to say my comparison, is probably like a Darius Garland,” he replied. “And then C.J. . . . that’s a good question. Um, that’s a good question. Honestly, I’d say like a, low key like a Michael Porter Jr. Like, he can hit contested shots, like, not see contests. Just gonna let it go and it’ll go in. See, y’all start askin’ me basketball questions, that’s when I start gettin’ excited.”

Comparisons to an All-Star point guard and a reigning NBA champion? Yeah, we’d say he’s pretty excited.

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Michael Porter Jr. jokes Trae Young, Brandon Roy are ‘jealous’ he’s in Finals

Michael Porter made fun of longtime friend Trae Young and his high school coach Brandon Roy when talking about the NBA Finals.

Michael Porter Jr. doesn’t have a whole lot on Trae Young, who drops 30 points regularly, or Brandon Roy, who was one of the most electric player in the league over the second half of the aughts and is the former high school coach of Porter.

But in getting to the NBA Finals, the Denver Nuggets guard now has at least one thing on the two.

When asked who has offered him advice during a pre-Finals press conference, Porter mentioned both of his longtime friends

“Me and Trae Young have talked a lot. He’s jealous, since I’m in the Finals and he’s only made the Eastern Conference Finals,” Porter said with a smile. “We were talking about that in LA, he came to our last game in LA.”

Porter added while laughing: “Then Brandon Roy, my coach from high school, he called me the other day and he pretty much was just criticizing everything that I was doing. I think he’s jealous too because he never made it to the Finals.

“He’s seen how my game has evolved since my injuries and things, so he gives me great advice. A good mentor to me.”

The clip starts around the 3:51 mark:

Porter and Young became close friends as they grew up as elite high school basketball prospects together. The two played on the same Nike EYBL team and were on the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 team in Chile. The Athletic did a bit of a deep dive into their relationship back in 2019.

Porter was widely regarded as a top-two prospect in the class of 2017, while Young was ranked in the 20-30 range on the 247Sports Composite and the outlet’s rankings.

Meanwhile, Roy coached Porter at Nathan Hale High School (Seattle, Wash.). With the star forward and former NBA coach, the team went undefeated and won the championship, as Roy was named the Naismith National Coach of the Year and Porter enrolled at Missouri. Roy now coaches at his alma mater, Garfield High School (Seattle, Wash).

Did an NBA fan just discover Joe Mazulla’s scouting reports for the Celtics on Quizlet?

Some of these scouting reports are juicy.

If you were ever a student within the last decade or so, you probably remember Quizlet. It is a helpful tool for studying and memorization.

Suppose you wanted to familiarize yourself with all of the players on the roster for an NBA team. You could definitely use Quizlet, which is like digital flashcards, as a resource to do as much. Say that you are coaching a professional basketball team and you want to memorize the tendencies of opponents. Well, you can use Quizlet.

Twitter user @groovyk8 said she was using Quizlet to prepare for a Suns game at Footprint Center. She believes that she may have unexpectedly uncovered the Quizlet account of Celtics interim head coach Joe Mazzulla. 

Mazzulla took over for Ime Udoka, who was suspended during the offseason for violating team policies. Under his leadership, the Celtics (22-7) currently have the best record in the NBA. 

As part of his preparation for his duties as interim head coach, it is possible Mazzulla may have used Quizlet for 43 different scouting reports for players around the league. The account was last active in April 2021, which is when he was just an assistant for Udoka.

The account was since deleted, but nearly all of the scouting reports were archived by someone on Reddit.

While we don’t know for certain that this account belonged to Mazzulla, these are still fascinating scouting reports from the 2020-21 season. So we have included just a few of the highlights, though there are many others you can see, below.

The best takes and the sharpest bets on all the hoops storylines you need to know. Sign up for our Layup Lines newsletter, hitting your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

8 NBA players who missed time as rookies, like Chet Holmgren, but still found success as pros

Multiple players came back to win Rookie of the Year.

Let’s face it: Injuries suck! There is no other way to put it except to say that they are the worst part of sports.

After he looked incredibly promising during his time at NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas, fans were excited to see Chet Holmgren suit up for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was one of the immediate favorites to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, though those bets were since voided.

It’s a bummer for Holmgren, who injured his foot while playing in a Pro-Am game. But it’s not all bad news. The Thunder are now well-positioned to land top draft prospect Victor Wembanyama. Plus, just because Holmgren is hurt now does not mean his career is ruined.

Rookie seasons are important for development. But there are several notable players who got hurt during their first year in the league but went on to have great success for the remainder of their careers.

Rockets rookie Tari Eason carrying ‘chip on my shoulder’ to NBA

“Tari is his hardest critic of himself,” said his mother, Teroya Eason. “There is no joking about it. He works with that chip on his shoulder. I am very proud of him.”

When you mention Seattle to the average person, they immediately think about the Space Needle or Pike Place Market. These places are must-see attractions for tourists. But if you ask a diehard basketball fan what to do in the Pacific Northwest during basketball season, they will direct you to a couple of local high school gyms and tell you to check out the abundance of potential NBA talent playing on a nightly basis.

Not many would think of coastal Washington as a hub for developing players with all the physical tools and mindset to compete in the NBA. Yet, the city has produced players who have had some longevity in the league, such as Jamal Crawford, who won multiple Sixth Man of the Year awards, as well as NBA champion Jason Terry.

Some of today’s rising stars like Kevin Porter Jr. (Houston Rockets), DeJounte Murray (San Antonio Spurs), and Michael Porter Jr. (Denver Nuggets) never miss the opportunity to brag on their city.

On Thursday, two other Seattle natives heard their names called in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft. Former Duke University forward Paolo Banchero went No. 1 overall to the Orlando Magic and now has his name etched in history for being selected as the draft’s top pick.

Tari Eason, who transferred from Cincinnati to LSU after his freshman season, was drafted by the Rockets with the No. 17 overall selection in this year’s draft. He is also looking to have his name put in the record books for being an intricate part of the Rockets’ resurgence, which they hope will eventually lead them to an NBA championshipy.

“It was a product of my work,” Eason said when asked about his first-round selection. “I think I worked on a lot of aspects of my game. My shooting, my ball-handling, things like that. I’ve always had a pretty good defensive mindset just from my competitive nature from high school, even before then. I wasn’t heavily recruited, so I always carried that chip on my shoulder and that real edge that has helped me carry through.”

Eason, 21, has always had a work ethic that has matched his athletic ability. As those around him tell it, Eason’s desire and determination to improve have fueled him since he was a young kid.

“Tari is his hardest critic of himself,” said his mother, Teroya Eason, who attended the Rockets’ introductory press conference. “From the third grade until now, the game of basketball has been very serious for him. There is no joking about it; there is no roundabout way of doing it. He works with that chip on his shoulder. I am very proud of him.”

One person who helped Eason reach new heights was his former basketball coach at Garfield High School, who happens to know a few things about playing at the highest level. As it turns out, it was former Trail Blazers star Brandon Roy who coached Eason for three years.

Portland selected Roy with the No. 6 pick in the 2006 NBA draft, and he went on to win Rookie of the Year in his first season on his way to being chosen to two All-NBA teams and three All-Star honors.

“It was special,” Eason said about his time with Roy. “Any time you get to learn from a NBA All-Star, a person who was in the shoes I hope to be in, it’s just special. I tried to learn as much as I could from him and soak up the game and learned valuable lessons along the way.”

A valuable early lesson that put Eason to the test was during his first two years at Garfield, where he received very little playing time due to playing on two state playoff teams loaded with talent. When his team won it all in 2018, Eason did not play in the championship game.

“He was mad at me about the minutes back then,” Roy said during an interview with the Seattle Times about Eason’s sophomore season at Garfield. “He didn’t complain. He kept working and working, and he’s turned himself into one of the best players in the state. He really wants it. Every day in practice it’s a constant, ‘We’re not going to lose today; we’re not going to lose today!’ His mentality has never changed.”

Lack of playing time was not a problem during the 2019-20 season, as Eason led his team back to the state championship game against O’Dea High School. By coincidence, that opponent’s team featured Banchero. This time around, Roy had a special message for his superstar player.

“I told him, use your teammates, but we need you to be superman, too,” Roy said. Ultimately, Eason finished the game with 21 points and 14 rebounds and earned tournament MVP in a 69-44 blowout of O’Dea to secure the State 3A championship. He ended his senior season averaging 23 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game.

Eason’s next stop was the Cincinnati Bearcats, where he played in only 23 games and made the All-ACC freshman team before entering the transfer portal and eventually winding up at LSU.

On most teams, Eason would have been a starter. But for the Tigers, who were also loaded with talent, Eason found another way to display his talent by thriving in his role as a sixth man. The versatile 6-foot-8 forward became the first player in SEC history to be named as Sixth Man of the Year and to the All-SEC First Team in the same season. He also was a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

Watching Eason play on the court from the stands or at home is one thing. Having to battle him on the court is a different experience.

“How physical he is gives him the ability to guard multiple positions,” said new Rockets teammate Jabari Smith, who played in the SEC against Eason. “Everybody knows how well he moves. Especially guarding him, he gon’ get to the rim. So that’s just one thing you know, one thing on the scouting report. And as the years come, how hard a worker he is, everybody knows his jump shot is going to improve. So, sky’s the limit.”

Eason will get a chance soon to showcase how his abilities translate to the NBA, as he is expected to play for the Rockets’ summer league team in Las Vegas in early July. Assuming health, his first game will come against the Magic and a friendly foe in Banchero.

While most will have their eyes set on the Banchero-Smith matchup, Eason wants to show why Houston drafted a hard worker from Seattle.

“Nobody can stop Tari from getting to the rim whenever he wants,” said fellow Rockets rookie TyTy Washington, who (like Smith) competed against Eason last season in the SEC.

“He plays hard for the whole game on both sides of the ball,” Washington said. “One thing about Tari, he didn’t start. He came with the same mentality, like he never let that affect him. At the end of the day, he’s just a hooper. He just wants to go out there and win.”

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Clippers doctor didn’t think Michael Porter Jr. should be drafted

Porter recently revealed that one doctor believed his back injury was so serious that he wouldn’t ever play basketball again. 

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. recently revealed that one doctor believed his prior back injury was so serious that he wouldn’t ever play basketball again.

Of course, Porter played just three games at Missouri during the 2017-18 season after suffering a back injury. He underwent spinal surgery and eventually returned to play two games for Missouri in the SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament.

Porter was once viewed as a potential No. 1 overall pick, but teams were understandably cautious about drafting him in 2018 because of his injury. He would eventually need to undergo a second surgery and was unable to participate in some workouts during the pre-draft process.

Prior to the draft, Porter gave teams the opportunity to evaluate his back at a pro day in Chicago. He disclosed on “The Old Man & the Three” podcast with JJ Redick and Tommy Alter that the doctor from the Los Angeles Clippers didn’t believe he could play again.

For the second pro day, I’m laying on a table and all (of the) top 10 teams have their doctors there and they’re just evaluating me. The guy from the Clippers was the head doctor and he’s the one that wrote the report, it’s like, ‘Yeah, he probably won’t ever play again.’

Porter eventually fell to the Nuggets with the 14th overall pick. He missed the entire 2018-19 season after recovering from a second back surgery but had a strong performance in the bubble before turning in a career year last season.

He averaged a career-high 19 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 61 games last season. He shot 44.5% from 3-point range on 6.3 attempts per game and became a full-time starter as the Nuggets advanced to the second round of the playoffs.

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Porter used the misinformation regarding his injury as motivation to prove those teams wrong that passed on him. He wants to become the best draft pick ever by the Nuggets after the organization believed in him enough to take him in the lottery.

He doesn’t hold any ill-will toward the Clippers after passing on him twice that year. In fact, he even believes it was meant to be that he landed in Denver instead of Los Angeles. Certainly, the Nuggets organization and its fans are sure glad he did.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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