2018 Orlando Magic NBA Draft Preview: Who is Michael Porter Jr.?
By Ryan Doyle
Draft Sites Say
Mike Schmitz, ESPN
"“Michael Porter Jr., who missed close to four months due to back surgery, didn’t go through medical testing at the combine. His health, along with the background intel surrounding his time at Missouri, figures to play a big role in where he’s drafted come June.”"
Kevin O’Connor, The Ringer
"“Sweet shooting stroke with a high release and soft touch, both off the catch and off the dribble. Good ball handler in the open floor; can take the ball coast to coast. Effective off-ball player who moves well on cuts and knows how to get himself open for catch-and-shoot 3s. . . . Underwent back surgery for a spinal disc injury that kept him out for the majority of his freshman season. Suffers from Andrew Wiggins syndrome: He needs to prove he can be more than an inefficient scorer. His lack of advanced ball-handling moves prevents him from getting all the way to the rim or creating space against great defenders.”"
Cole Zwicker, The Stepien
"Porter Jr. is perhaps the best wing/combo-forward scoring prospect to enter the draft since Kevin Durant a decade ago. He isn’t Durant, lacking that combination of handle and generational off the dribble shooting (along with plus length), but he’s a notch above everyone else as a shooter especially. Porter Jr. might be best utilized in a Paul George type role as primarily a gravity shooter off pin-downs and screens with his size, but there might be more handling upside if he shows comfort here at Missouri. Right now Porter Jr’s is best approached with an open mind as a tight-space handler and defender. If he shows both, he looks like the favorite to challenge Doncic for #1 pick honors."
Evan Tomes, NBADraft.net
"“It’s not often that you find an elite level size/shooter/athlete package at the high school level … Extremely mature, focused and hard working individual … Smooth and athletic wing forward with high level intangibles and competitiveness. . . Better ability to attack the rim off the bounce would add to his scoring arsenal … Tends to rely on shooting over the defense in the half court … Ball handling has improved but still needs to improve his overall ball skills, especially with his left hand."