Michael Porter Jr. never doubted his abilities. The Brooklyn Nets forward always believed he’d dominate the NBA. Back-to-back injuries derailed those plans and left fans hungry to witness his silky smooth jumpers. But now he’s proving himself right in his first season away from Denver.
Porter dropped 27 points and 11 rebounds Sunday in a revenge victory over the Denver Nuggets. The 127-115 victory showcased exactly what asset Denver traded away. The 27-year-old is pushing past his numbers and making sure the community takes notice as he was excited to face his former team.
Michael Porter Jr. Says His Breakout Year Was Always in the Cards
Porter was asked after Sunday’s game if his career year surprised him. His response was blunt and confident. And most importantly, folks think his way of adjusting expectations without losing belief is elite
“My expectation was to be the best player in the NBA,” Porter said to reporters. “Injuries had their way with me, but I think determination and resilience have allowed me to carve out a pretty valuable space in the NBA.”
He paused before adding the money line. “What I’m doing now is not a shock to me. Doing it post-injury is what I’m proud of,” he added.
Michael Porter Jr. said he expected to be the best player in the NBA when he got drafted, but he’s proud of the role he’s carved out post-injuries:
“My expectation was to be the best player in the NBA. Injuries had their way with me, but I think determination and resilience have… pic.twitter.com/Yj2ZMdntGd
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) January 5, 2026
The numbers back up his confidence. Porter is averaging 25.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. It is hard to believe, but that scoring average is a 42% jump from his 18.2 points in the previous season with Denver.
However, before this season, his story with injuries was a completely different case scenario. Porter was the consensus number one recruit out of high school. Then came three back surgeries.
Players get into serious injury normally in the pro league but Porter has been going through injury battles since his college days. Despite that, his elite showing was on point. And that helped the 6′ 10″ forward get selected as the 14th overall pick by the Nuggets in 2018.
So, Nuggets took the gamble, but their start was very frustrating. He appeared in only nine games during the 2021-22 campaign due to a recurring back issue that required surgery.
Then, during the 2023 postseason, Porter appeared in all 20 playoff games, and the Nuggets won their NBA championship. But this season with Nets, his outing just outmatched all those previous numbers.
Folks are finally recognizing him as a star, as his injury curses seem to have disappeared. Plus, stepping out of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray’s shadow has also allowed him to display his true potential as an offensive threat.
