Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. has recently opened up about the intense pressures that NBA players face daily, drawing a striking parallel to an iconic quote from NBA legend Dennis Rodman.
Porter’s comments, made during a candid conversation on the “Off Guard with Austin Rivers” podcast, shed light on the often-overlooked mental and emotional challenges of playing at the highest level of basketball.
Porter, who was once projected as a potential No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, saw his stock plummet due to a back injury that sidelined him for most of his freshman season at Missouri.
Despite the setbacks, the Denver Nuggets took a calculated risk by selecting him 14th overall in the draft. After sitting out his entire rookie season (2018-19) to recover from surgery, Porter gradually emerged as one of the NBA’s premier 3-point shooters and played a critical role as the Nuggets’ third scoring option during their 2023 NBA Championship run.
Porter’s resurgence earned him a lucrative five-year, $172.6 million maximum rookie scale contract extension in 2021, cementing his place as a core member of the Nuggets through the 2026-27 season. However, with great financial reward comes immense pressure, a reality Porter has grappled with.
In his conversation with Austin Rivers, Porter admitted that the weight of expectations tied to his contract has, at times, dimmed his passion for the game. “I would have played this game for free as long as I could eat. I loved it,” Porter said. “The money sometimes makes it a little bit harder to enjoy the game because with a max contract comes a lot of expectations on consistency. ‘Oh, you’re supposed to be an All-Star, you’re supposed to be this, that.’”
Porter’s reflections closely mirror the sentiments expressed by Dennis Rodman during his late 1990s tenure with the Chicago Bulls, as famously depicted in the 2020 docuseries “The Last Dance.”
Rodman, who often struggled with mental health issues and the pressures of the spotlight, famously said, “It’s not just basketball that we have to deal with on this team. It’s the pressure of the bulls**t. I’ll play the game for free, but you get paid for the bulls**t after. Basketball is simple, it’s a simple game, but when you leave this confined zone, it’s hard.”
Rodman, who was criticized for his off-court behavior throughout his Hall of Fame career, played during an era before the pervasive influence of social media. Porter, on the other hand, is navigating his career in a time where instant feedback—both positive and negative—is constantly at his fingertips. Despite the added scrutiny, Porter has managed to maintain his productivity, finishing as the Nuggets’ third-leading scorer for the second consecutive season.
During the podcast, Porter also lightheartedly addressed one of the more common fan criticisms he faces: his perceived reluctance to pass the ball. Known for his scoring prowess, Porter has never averaged more than 2.0 assists per game in a season, leading fans to coin playful nicknames like “Michael ‘The Possession Stops Here’ Porter” and “Michael ‘Never Swing The Rock’ Porter.”
Embracing the humour, Porter joked that he might attempt to boost his assist numbers next season. “I might try to increase my assists from 1.5 to like 2.0 [per game] this year,” he quipped.
Whether Porter will indeed make a concerted effort to distribute the ball more remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the pressures of living up to a max contract and the scrutiny that comes with being a high-profile NBA player can weigh heavily, even on the most talented and successful athletes. Yet, as Porter continues to grow both on and off the court, his ability to manage these pressures will be crucial in determining how he navigates the remainder of his promising career.
