The rosters for the 2020 Rising Stars Challenge were released on Friday, and Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. was a notable absentee.
Nuggets head coach Mike Malone previously expressed his frustration with Porter's snub, and the youngster himself echoed his coach's sentiment.
“He knows I deserve to be a Rising Star, be in that game, but I’m gonna be playing in the playoffs, and that’s worth a lot more to me than playing in that game,” Porter said per Mike Singer of the Denver Post.“So I’m just gonna keep working, get my rest during that All-Star break and be ready for that second half of the season.”
Porter, who was at one point the top player in the class of 2017, was selected with the 14th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. The same injury concerns that hindered his draft stock in college stayed with Porter Jr. when he joined the Nuggets.
The 6-foot-10 forward missed his entire first season with a lower back injury. This year, however, Porter has been one of the most efficient players in the entire NBA.
At only 21 years old, Porter has yet to carve out a major role in the Nuggets' offense. However, in the minutes that he has gotten, the second-year pro has been excellent. In just 14.3 minutes per contest, Porter has averaged 8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds.
While the Nuggets forward is undoubtedly talented, it's likely that Michael Porter Jr.'s lack of playtime kept him from making the Team USA roster of the Rising Stars Challenge.
Follow Us
Subscribe