Michael Porter Jr. Reveals How He Revitalized Career After Injuries Derailed Expectations Of ‘NBA’s Best’

Michael Porter Jr. he had superstar expectations for himself when he entered the NBA. While he never reached those heights during the injury-riddled Denver Nuggets mandate, he makes up for lost time with Brooklyn Nets.

Porter Jr. has firmly entered the All-Star conversation in the midst of a breakout season as option no. 1 in Brooklyn. After multiple back surgeries early in his career, the 27-year-old is more proud of his resilience than the numbers on his stat sheet.

“I expected when I was drafted to be the best player in the NBA. Injuries took a toll on me, but I think determination and resilience allowed me to be able to win a pretty valuable space in the NBA and play for many years,” Porter Jr. said. “But I think that was my expectation, because I knew what I was capable of, and I’ve played against really good players my whole life. So what I’m doing now is not a shock to me. I think doing the way I am after the injury, I think it’s a little bit more that I’m proud of. Because it’s not a surprise, but I’ve gone through a lot of work and effort to stay available… I feel good and I’m grateful that after all I can play the game I love.”

Michael Porter Jr. said he expected to be the best player in the NBA when he was drafted, but he’s proud of the role he played after injuries:

“I expected to be the best player in the NBA. Injuries followed me, but I think determination and resilience… pic.twitter.com/Ij2ZMdntGd

— Eric Slater (@erikslater_) January 5, 2026

Porter Jr.’s back concerns caused him to fall to the 14th pick in the 2018 draft. The 6-foot-10 forward missed his entire rookie season after undergoing a second back surgery and played just nine games in 2021-22 before undergoing a third surgery.

However, he emerged as one of the Nuggets’ most reliable players over the following years, appearing in 220 of 246 regular season games from 2022 to 2025.

Michael Porter Jr. continues to defy the odds during his breakout season with the Nets

Porter Jr. is credited for his focus on his body and his work with psychotherapist Nicole Sachs to improve his health. He remained physically revitalized after moving to the Nets.

“I don’t think he gets enough credit for playing,” Nuggets head coach David Adelman he said on Sunday. “With the injuries he’s had, I just don’t think he gets enough credit for how tough he is. Watching him day in and day out to maintain himself so he can be available, that’s been the most impressive thing to me.”

After years as a complementary piece alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in Denver, Porter Jr. came into the limelight with Brooklyn. He took a Nets team that many assumed would be one of the worst in the NBA to a respectable level.

After an 0-7 start, the Nets are 11-10 over Porter Jr.’s last 21 games. He averaged 27.3 points (13th in the NBA), 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists on 50/43/83 shooting during that span, and Jordy Fernandez built Brooklyn’s offense around his off-ball movement and shooting.

“I think when an organization believes in you, and when they repeat that belief, and there’s positive attitudes and positive vibes, whether you’re winning or losing or having good games or bad games, it can change the production of the entire player,” Porter Jr. said. “That can change his confidence, especially as a young player. We have young, a lot of young players right now who shoot the ball well, play well, and that comes from a coach who instills confidence. And I think Jordy and the entire Nets organization does a great job of instilling confidence in the players. It doesn’t matter if you make or miss, when you’re watching the shot. They’re probably going to be more upset with you if you didn’t shoot than if you did.

“So, I think when you hear that message all the time, it can really help your confidence as a player. So, I mean, I’m in my seventh or eighth year, and I still feel the difference when a coach really believes in me and kind of questions the shots that you’re making. So I just think Jordy and me and the entire Nets organization did that with a great Nets organization.”