Nuggets first-rounder Michael Porter Jr. is optimistic after his second back surgery and tells Chris Forsberg of ESPN that he hopes to be ready early in the upcoming season.
“I finally feel, like, good,” Porter said at today’s annual rookie photo shoot, expressing hope that the back issue that robbed him of most of his college career won’t do the same in his first NBA campaign.
“I don’t have a date but I’m hoping to be back for the beginning of the year. Gotta heal up, but I feel great,” he added. “I’m able to get on the court a little bit right now, do some different things. But my rehab has definitely been very conservative. They’re really taking it easy with me, being patient with me.”
Porter injured his back in his first game at Missouri and underwent a microdiscectomy in November to fix one of two bulging disks. He had another spinal surgery last month, and the Nuggets haven’t set any kind of recovery timetable after that procedure.
Porter was among the top college recruits in last year’s class and could have been a high lottery pick if he had remained healthy. However, concerns from the medical staffs of several teams that examined him caused him to slide to Denver at No. 14.
“[Doctors originally] only thought one of [the bulging disks] was symptomatic,” Porter explained. “They went in and fixed that one. Turns out that both were symptomatic. So my first surgery helped a lot but didn’t fix the entire problem. Now that they did this one, I’ve got no pain or anything. I’m excited.”
Said he felt better after first too, lol.
I would get me some spine-pokes myself, if an NBA team would pay for it.
I would not expect anything to be cured though.
I think the Sixers made a mistake by not picking Porter, Jr.!
I am fed up with all my teams!
SMH
Of course Philly made a mistake, MPJ will be a beast I am so excited to see him playing, imagine him with Jokic in the frontcourt of Denver, if they can improve to a decent level their backcourt they will be a scary team, hopefully IT can help there. BTW 13 teams made a mistake not only Philly.
The Clippers should have drafted MPJ. I’m sold Gilgeous-Alexander is going to be a monster but Jerome Robinson? I don’t know, he doesn’t project to be good defensively.
MJP will be a nice serviceable player for 5 years or so. Never gonna be a star, doesn’t have the killer instinct.
Could you tell me where I’ll be in 5 years?
Just saying I’ve watched him and not overly impressed. He’s a stud on talent but lazy on effort. Hate to see talent wasted.
Maybe you should be an NBA scout.
Some guys cruise cuz they don’t want to get hurt. That could possibly be the case with this guy.
Hopefully when he’s healthy he can play with Reckless abandon and really go for it with energy and hustle without fear of getting hurt.
2 back surgeries already, not a good sign. he might be an ok player but that back is gonna bark from the NBA grind
A player going through the draft process and its aftermath (or ever really) has very little credibility when it comes to his statements regarding his health. Injuries heal, but back conditions are relatively permanent. The timeline here indicates the latter. He’s a talent, but not on the level that any team should have rolled the dice on him with a top 10 pick.