Kosport Magazine: Michael Porter Jr. Overcomes Personal Struggles to Lead Nuggets to Victory
It’s been a tough week for Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. His younger brother Coban was sentenced to six years in prison for a fatal drunk driving accident, and his other brother Jontay was banned from the NBA for life due to a betting scandal. But despite these personal struggles, Porter Jr. showed up on the court and led his team to a 114-103 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in their first-round playoff game.
Porter Jr. missed practice on Friday to testify on his brother’s behalf at his hearing, but his teammates made sure to let him know that they had his back. “To have these guys understand why I missed practice yesterday and just had my back has been big for me,” Porter Jr. said.
And his teammates’ support paid off as Porter Jr. had a strong game, scoring 19 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in 38 minutes of play. “It’s a hard thing to do, but I think when you’re on the court you don’t think about it,” said Nuggets star Nikola Jokic. “That’s why basketball is such a beautiful thing, that you don’t think about nothing except what’s going on on the floor.”
Porter Jr. has faced his fair share of challenges in his career, including back injuries that sidelined him for most of his lone season at Missouri and his entire rookie year with the Nuggets. But he has bounced back and played a career-high 81 games this season, proving his resilience and mental toughness.
As for his personal struggles, Porter Jr. knows how to compartmentalize and focus on the game. “We’re human. We carry our emotions and things that go on off of the court onto the court, but I’m mentally tough,” he said. “I’ve been through a lot through my whole career so you know it was another one of those things I had to play through.”
Summary:
Despite facing personal struggles, Michael Porter Jr. led the Denver Nuggets to victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in their first-round playoff game. His brothers’ legal troubles did not affect his performance on the court, thanks to the support of his teammates. Porter Jr. has shown resilience and mental toughness throughout his career, and his determination has paid off as he played a career-high 81 games this season. His ability to compartmentalize and focus on the game has been crucial in his success.
