Michael Porter Jr. shakes hands with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after the Denver Nuggets selected Porter Jr. 14th overall in the NBA Draft Thursday night. (Photo: Mike Stobe/Getty images)
It's a risk.
But one the Denver Nuggets had to take.
Thursday night, the Nuggets drafted forward Michael Porter Jr. out of the University of Missouri with the 14th overall pick in the NBA Draft.
Porter Jr.'s only season at Missouri was limited to three games because of a back injury that required surgery.
He sustained that injury two minutes into Missouri's season opener last November. He returned to action in the SEC tournament on March 8, 2018 and scored 12 points and had eight rebounds against Georgia. He had 16 points and 10 rebounds in Mizzou's loss to Florida State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
As a senior at Nathan Hale High School in Seattle, Porter Jr. averaged a astounding 36 points and 13.6 rebounds per game. He was one of the top recruits in the country and many people believe he could have been the number one pick in the NBA Draft had he been able to enter it after that senior season.
Porter Jr. was both the Naismith and Gatorade National Player of the Year after his senior season.
In an interview with ESPN immediately after the Nuggets selected him, Porter Jr. said he feels great and plans to play in the upcoming summer league.
Porter Jr. is listed at 6-10, 215 pounds.
CHECK OUT PORTER JR.'S DRAFT PROFILE HERE
With the 43rd overall pick, the Nuggets selected Justin Jackson from Maryland and traded him and a future second round pick to Orlando in exchange for Jarred Vanderbilt, the 41st overall selection.
CHECK OUT VANDERBILT'S DRAFT PROFILE HERE
With the 58th overall pick, the Nuggets took UCLA center Thomas Welsh.
CHECK OUT WELSH'S DRAFT PROFILE HERE
COMPLETE NBA DRAFT COVERAGE HERE
Porter Jr. spoke with NBA TV after going to the Nuggets.
Porter Jr.'s press conference after being selected.
Porter Jr. also spoke with Denver media.
Nuggets President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly spoke with reporters after the draft.
Here's the Nuggets selecting Porter Jr., along with analysis of the pick.
High school highlights of Michael Porter Jr.