Michael Porter Jr. Gets Real on Nuggets' Fleeting NBA Finals Win

Former Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. has some eye-opening takeaways following the team's 2023 NBA Finals victory over the Miami Heat.

When turning the clock back to just two years ago, the Finals ended in five games at home in Denver for what was the Nuggets' first-ever ring in franchise history.

The Game 5 win took down the Heat to stamp Nikola Jokic's name as one of the best bigs and overall players we've ever seen, bringing glory to Denver, and made the roster immortal with league history as world champions.

For Michael Porter Jr., it was a relieving ending to a Game 5 that he can't even put into words.

"It felt great, because that, for some reason, I was struggling with my shot. But I had a really good Game 5 that closed them out at home, and to end on that note, and win the first championship that Denver has ever had. Bro, it was lit. I can even put it into words," Porter said in an interview on Respectfully with Justin Laboy.

But there's another side to such an electric moment for Porter in hindsight. In reality, once reaching such a long-aspired goal, that uplifting feeling can only last for so long.

"There's been a couple people that have touched on this who have accomplished a lot of things. It really is fleeting, bro," Porter Jr. said.

"Like, you win the championship, it's super lit... Then the next day, I woke up in my bed, and I'm like, 'Yeah, so what am I supposed to do now?' You know what I mean?... Like, as lit as it was, you wake up the next day, the next couple days, it's like, now what?"

Porter does what any player would do after a championship win. Party, celebrate, and relish the moment of being crowned the best team in the world.

But, after that feeling subsides, the championship high doesn't hit the same. Then comes another goal, followed by the next season, and thus, the cycle of trying to chase the next greatest accomplishment or achievement continues.

Jun 12, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1), left and guard Ish Smith (14) celebrate after the Nuggets won the NBA championship by defeating the Miami Heat in game five of the 2023 NBA Finals at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

That's why, for Porter, the takeaway has become simple: enjoy the process.

"That's why I tell people, like, you gotta find joy in the process of this stuff. You know, you've reached a lot of big things in the world, and your social media presence is crazy, but a lot of people would be like, 'Man, I want what he has.  That would make me happy.' Right. But then once you get it, then you want something more.

"So I'll be telling people: you gotta try to enjoy the process of reaching your goal, because once you reach the goal, that's only gonna last. You only gonna have that good feeling for like two, three days, then it's over."

For Porter, he'll be chasing those next goals with the Brooklyn Nets after the offseason swap for Cam Johnson shipped him to what'll now be his second home in the league. But it's abundantly clear that Porter's championship experience in Denver has given him a clear perspective to bank on moving forward in a brand new situation.

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