Why Michael Porter Jr. just slapped Jordi Fernandez with the ‘genius’ label

Michael Porter Jr. he waited patiently for his chance to lead an NBA team for the first six seasons. His transfer to the Brooklyn Nets this summer provided that opportunity and he is making the most of it.

Porter Jr. playing at an All-Star level as the Nets’ No. 1 offensive option this season. The 27-year-old is averaging a career-high 24.9 points and 3.1 assists per game on 49/38/82 shooting. He scored a season-high 35 points on 13-of-24 shooting from the field and 7-of-11 from three as he led Brooklyn to a 116-103 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday.

When asked by ClutchPoint about the key to his breakthrough, Porter Jr. gave high praise to Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez.

“I think Jordy is a genius as a coach,” he said. “He’s a genius with the schemes he sets, especially for me offensively. The way teams guard me and try not to let me catch the ball, and the different creative ways Jordy runs our team plays to help me get touches and looks, it’s really next level. He makes it easy for me to play my game, not just play the staff. I was able to produce.”

Michael Porter Jr. called Jordi Fernandez a “genius” when I asked him about his production since joining the Nets:

“I think Jordi is a genius for a coach… He’s a genius in terms of the plans he comes up with, especially in attack for me. The way teams guard me and… pic.twitter.com/Z61TKSIRBeJ

— Eric Slater (@erikslater_) December 2, 2025

Many, including Porter Jr., expected a dramatic increase in the pick-and-roll and isolated forward frequency with Brooklyn. While he has seen an uptick in usage in those areas, he has done the vast majority of his damage off the ball.

Michael Porter Jr. thrived in Jordi Fernandez’s offense after being traded to the Nets

Porter Jr. excelled as a mover off the ball in Fernandez’s offense — curling off pindowns and dribbling handoffs, cutting backdoors, and using his size to get into position for dump-offs and high-low passes. Nick Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe stood out as facilitators with the 6-foot-10 scorer hovering around them, and both posted career-high assists.

Michael Porter Jr. makes his living off backdoor cuts and high and low passes from the Nets’ off-ball actions.

Jordi Fernandez does a good job of using MPJ’s gravity and shooting size to make easy buckets. Nic Clacton and Dai’Ron Shapre have great passing ability, too. pic.tvitter.com/tLFN9sTrZt

— Eric Slater (@erikslater_) November 17, 2025

Porter Jr. has maintained a high level of efficiency out of Denver while posting a career high usage rate. His 57.9 effective field goal percentage ranks seventh among the 24 players who attempt over 18 shots per game. He also improved as a passer, assisting on 16.3 percent of his teammates’ goals, more than double his best mark in any other season.

“Mike is an offensive threat all the time,” Fernandez said after Monday’s win. “And it’s not just his three-point shooting, it’s his cutting. He does a good job of finishing his cuts and not dribbling too much. You can see the assist and the turnover (ratio), 4-2, which is great. He makes some tough shots, but at the end of the day, that’s what he does… Kudos to him.”

MPJ leads @BrooklinNets to win at home!

35 PTS AND 7 REB AND 4 AST AND 2 STL pic.twitter.com/zd5G8L2pI9

— NBA (@NBA) December 2, 2025

While Porter Jr. spent most of his time off the ball, was effective in increased isolation and pick-and-roll repetition. In 15 games, he had 24 shutouts, averaging 1.13 points per possession. He had 19 isolation possessions in 77 games with the Nuggets last season, averaging 0.84 points per possession.

On a team that has an NBA-record five first-round rookie picks and the league’s youngest roster, Porter Jr. also emerges as a leader on the floor.

“I like it when he starts talking to his teammates and tells them what to run,” Fernandez continued. “He’s been in situations like this before and I think we benefit from that. So we need that, for him to be engaged and communicate at all times. That brings everyone together. That connection can’t just be on the defensive side, but on the offensive side as well.”

After the Nets-Nuggets trade this summer, many around the league expected Brooklyn to try to flip Porter Jr. after this season, when his contract expires. However, the forward’s elite start could spark trade calls from rival teams at this year’s deadline.

While the Nets will certainly listen to offers, Porter Jr. is young enough to be part of their next iteration. Whether a rebuilding team cashes in on the veteran’s production or keeps him as a building block will be the main story next year.