Michael Porter Jr. Praises Nets for Instilling Confidence in Players

Michael Porter Jr. faced off against his former team for the first time, guiding the Brooklyn Nets to a 127-115 victory over the Denver Nuggets while producing 27 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists.

Porter played a pivotal part in the Nuggets' championship run in 2023 alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.

However, the No. 14 pick of the 2018 NBA Draft wasn't always able to showcase his full skill set in the Mile High City, as he had to pass up the tough shots he knows he's capable of making for a higher percentage look.

Porter has had a lot more freedom in Brooklyn, and he credits the organization for empowering him to take the next step in his game.

"When an organization believes in you, and they reiterate confidence, and there's positive attitudes and positive vibes, whether you win or lose, or whether you have good games or bad games, that can change a whole player's production, it could change his confidence, especially as a young player," Porter said.

"Right now we got a lot of young players that are shooting the ball well, playing well, and that comes from a coach instilling confidence. And I think Jordi and the whole Nets organization does a great job instilling confidence in players. It doesn't matter if you make or miss a shot, he's telling you keep shooting. When we watch film, he'll probably get more upset with you if you didn't take a shot than if you did. So I think that when you're constantly hearing that message, it can really help your confidence as a player. I'm in Year 7, Year 8, and I still feel the difference when a coach really believes in me and when they kind of second-guess the shots you take. So I just think Jordi and the whole Nets organization has done a great job of that with me and with the whole team."

Porter's name has been loosely tossed around in trade rumors, but it seems like the Nets are more or less listening to offers rather than actively shopping him.

It sounds like Porter doesn't view Brooklyn as a short term home, and the Nets could certainly use as many talented players who are truly bought into the team's culture as possible.

At 27 years old, Porter is still young enough to be a significant part of the next Nets team that is ready to contend for a title.