NBA Rumors: Where Will the Missouri Tigers' Michael Porter Jr. Go in the Draft?
Porter is considered among the top prospects in the draft, but injury concerns could cause his stock to tumble
The Missouri Tigers' Michael Porter Jr. is one of the most gifted athletes in the 2018 NBA draft.
On offense, Porter has the potential to be a go-to option in the pros.
He's a good shooter who can consistently knock down three-pointers either from catch-and-shoot situations or from going off the dribble.
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Porter's also capable of putting the ball on the floor and attacking defenses when they close out too hard on him.
Porter still needs to work on refining his passing if he's ever going to be the playmaker teams will want him to be, but he clearly has the tools to be an offensive star in the league.
Analysts are a little more skeptical of Porter's turning into a good defender in the NBA, but as The Ringer's draft guide notes, he still has the length and quickness needed to become one provided that he puts in the time to improve on that end of the floor.
Given that Porter has the potential to be an offensive force who has the tools required to be a sound defender, he is unsurprisingly among the top prospects for this year's draft, but he could turn out to be a risky selection for any team.
Unlike many of the other top prospects in the draft, Porter has a significant injury history.
Back in November, Porter underwent a microdiscectomy of his L3-L4 spinal discs that ultimately kept him away from the floor for three months.
More recently, Porter had to cancel a recent workout because of hip spasms, per a report from Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania.
It is worth pointing out that Porter actually recovered from the microdiscectomy earlier than expected as he managed to still play in a few games for the Tigers instead of being sidelined for the whole season, and a recent MRI on his hip returned clean.
Still, in a draft where several high-upside players are available, injury concerns are likely going to impact Porter's stock significantly.
Charania's report noted that Porter could still be taken by the Sacramento Kings at number two, but if the injury concerns persist, that franchise will likely go in another direction.
Porter's talent will prevent him from falling out of the lottery portion of the draft entirely, but it would not be surprising if players like DeAndre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III, Mohamed Bamba, Luka Doncic, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Trae Young are drafted ahead of him by the Phoenix Suns, Kings, Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks and Orlando Magic in some order since they are all viewed as high-upside guys as well but do not come with the same injury questions.
High floor and modest ceiling big man Wendell Carter could also be picked ahead of Porter since he projects to be a solid all-around player who could pair well with the Chicago Bulls' Lauri Markkanen.
Should Porter still be on the board by the time the Cleveland Cavaliers will pick, that team will likely select him, and even if that franchise goes with a player who's been rising up draft boards lately like Kevin Knox, the New York Knicks could still come in and take Porter.
More news about the 2018 NBA draft should be made available soon.
