Missouri's Jontay Porter declares for NBA draft despite second ACL tear
Perhaps the second time will be the charm for Jontay Porter.
The Missouri forward announced on Friday that he will declare for the NBA draft after his second year.
— Jontay Porter (@JontayPorter) April 19, 2019
Unfortunate injuries
Porter declared for the draft last year, but ultimately decided to stay in school for another year despite being projected to be a first-round selection. Last October, he tore his right ACL and MCL and missed the entire season. Last month, Porter re-tore the ACL while rehabbing in Colorado, and he already has had surgery.
“I was impatient and completely naive to think I was ready to get back on the court and play before I was cleared,” Porter wrote on Twitter on March 27.
Porter averaged 9.9 points and 6.8 rebounds his freshman year, impressing as a skilled, 6-foot-11 big man. Though it’s unlikely he will be ready to play right off the bat after two ACL injuries, he could be a late first or early second round selection for a team willing to take a chance.
The brother of Michael Porter Jr., a former top Missouri prospect who is now with the Denver Nuggets, Jontay is reportedly unlikely to pull his name off the draft board this time around. According to Rivals, he is not expected to return to school even if he is not selected.
Porter’s impending departure also raises questions regarding the future of his father and assistant coach, Michael Porter Sr., who will no longer have a son on the team.
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