Michael Porter Jr. has always looked up to Kevin Durant, admitting recently that he still has a lot to learn from him. However, there are two other NBA stars that the Denver Nuggets youngster really admires: Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints, Porter named the three as his favorite players in the NBA today, and for a good reason. The Nuggets rising star has nothing but respect for Durant, Curry and Anteteounmpo and the mentality they show night in and night out–something that he hopes to adopt as well as his career progresses.
Porter shared how impressed he is with Giannis and his unwavering confidence. The Milwaukee Bucks star had his fair share of epic fail moments, airballing free throws and 3-pointers more than he wants to admits. Nonetheless, it has never bothered or affected him, as he just continues to play with everything he got.
“I think Giannis, just strictly for his mentality. You know that dude can airball two free throws in a row and he won’t care at all. He’s gonna come down and try to dunk on you or shoot a three, he just doesn’t care,” the Nuggets forward said of the new NBA champion.
As for Durant and Curry, Porter shared how much he loves the game of the two. KD remains one of the best scorers in the NBA with his ability to make baskets from virtually anywhere on the court, while Steph continues to exude joy when playing.
“KD I think he’s just a master at the game of basketball. He can do everything. He’s seven foot, he’s around my size, so I always look to his game. Then Steph, everyone enjoys watching Steph play, the deep threes, he got the handles. He’s just a joy out there and his presence is really unique. I respect his approach to the game,” MPJ further told ClutchPoints.
Michael Porter Jr.'s admiration for Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo is understandable, and he can definitely learn a lot from watching them. For what it's worth, before he was drafted in 2018, the Mizzou product mentioned how he sees himself as a mix of Durant and Antetokounmpo.
It should also be noted that Porter did work out with Curry this offseason. Both players share the same approach on basketball, family and faith, and the Nuggets will certainly love to see the 23-year-old play with the same type of joy as Steph does whenever he steps foot on the basketball court.
With Jamal Murray likely missing a huge chunk of the 2020-21 campaign, the Nuggets will be leaning on Porter to step up and play like a legitimate star for them. Considering all that, it certainly bodes well that he's looking up at the right players for a source on inspiration and motivation as he shapes up the basketball player he wants to become.
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