Almost every little thing Porter has mentioned publicly since has sparked considerably higher controversy.
Whether or not on his podcast “Curious Mike” or throughout visitor appearances on streams with influencers, the 27-year-old has made a sequence of controversial remarks this offseason, sparking widespread discussions on social media about his judgment and the potential PR challenges for the Nets’ employees shifting ahead.
A few of his remarks have drawn extra intense scrutiny than others.
In a latest livestream with influencer PlaqueBoyMax, Porter Jr. was posed a hypothetical query: whether or not he would like a “thot daughter” — a derogatory slang time period for a girl with a number of sexual companions — or a “gay son.” He replied that each would “hurt” him, implying discomfort with both, which drew criticism for being homophobic and misogynistic.
“I’m not gonna hold you bro, both of them would hurt a n-gga heart,” Porter mentioned.
Throughout the identical livestream, Porter asserted {that a} McDonald’s All-American highschool boys’ group would defeat the WNBA All-Stars, a declare perceived as dismissing girls’s basketball as inferior and sparking intense debates on gender dynamics in sports activities.
“If the WNBA All-Star team, if the Olympic team played the McDonald’s All-American high school players, it’s one of them things, bro,” Porter mentioned. “You can’t dance around it. In high school, when I was in high school, we were grown men, pretty much… If we play the WNBA All-Star team, that, no disrespect, bro. No disrespect, bro. I’m not even gonna say it.”
Along with discussing his private relationship preferences, the work ethic and fetishes of different NBA gamers, and the influence of sports activities betting, Porter — who shot 50.4% from the sphere and 39.7% from three-point vary with the Denver Nuggets final season — boasted that solely Stephen Curry shoots higher than him, rating himself alongside Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and others.
“Stephen Curry, that’s the only one I’m giving like a clear elite, can shoot better than me,” Porter mentioned. “There’s dudes that are on the same level. I think Klay Thompson, KD. If I got in the gym [with someone] like Duncan Robinson, he probably can shoot with me. Trae Young, Dame. But I think Steph is the only one clearly better.”
It’s evident that a few of Porter’s latest feedback have offended sure audiences. He ought to train warning in his public statements, as they straight mirror on the Nets group.
Since hiring head coach Jordi Fernandez, the Nets have emphasised constructing a robust tradition and prioritizing high-character gamers. Porter, bringing championship expertise, enters the season positioned as a veteran chief.
Movies have emerged displaying Porter placing up photographs within the gymnasium and coaching alongside Atlanta Hawks famous person Trae Younger. By all accounts, he maintained a optimistic relationship with the Nuggets’ teaching employees and is understood for his sturdy work ethic. Fernandez, who beforehand labored with Porter in Denver, possible permitted the commerce. The Nets dedicated to paying him $79.4 million over the following two seasons for a transparent function.
Porter’s on-court worth is substantial, making it essential for the Nets to forestall his unfiltered off-court persona from turning into a distraction. If his feedback trigger locker room stress or alienate teammates, it might hinder the group’s rebuilding efforts. In New York Metropolis’s intense media market, much more scrutinizing than Denver, his statements face heightened consideration.
For the Nets’ sake, Porter should be taught when to keep away from the highlight and put down the mic.
