What happened?
Michael Porter Jr. admits he barely knew the Denver Nuggets entering the NBA in 2018. The forward, a member of the franchise's 2023 championship squad, revealed he was unfamiliar with the team and its superstar center. Porter Jr. stated he did not know of the Nuggets when he entered the league, admitting his focus was primarily on college basketball during that period.
Why it matters for Denver Nuggets
Porter Jr.'s admission highlights the initial underestimation of Nikola Jokic's impact. The Nuggets star, now a three-time NBA MVP, was not immediately recognized as elite by his own teammate. Porter Jr. recalled hoping Jokic would be outplayed by Mason Plumlee during training camp, describing the Serb's unorthodox style as 'wobbling around like not really caring, nonchalant.'
What comes next?
The forward explained his realization came once the regular season began. Porter Jr. noted Jokic's unique ability to accumulate stats across games, recording twenty rebounds in one contest, fifteen assists in the next, and thirty points shortly after. The Nuggets' system allowed the center to flourish, eventually helping the franchise secure its first-ever NBA Championship in 2023.
Last result: Minnesota Timberwolves 110-98 Denver Nuggets (2026-05-01). Recent form (last 5): 2W-0D-3L (LLWWL, most recent first); lost the last 2.
And then we get to the season and he's going crazy. One game he'll have twenty rebounds, next game he'll have fifteen assists, next game he'll have thirty, the next game after that he'll have all those combined. And I'm like, bro, what's going on, Porter Jr. said. His career start in Denver was delayed by severe back issues, causing him to miss his entire first season in 2018-2019 while recovering from surgery, before finally making his regular-season NBA debut on October 31, 2019. After easing into the rotation during the 2019-2020 season, he then blossomed inside the NBA bubble later that season as a sharpshooting scorer. He eventually locked in a major role alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, culminating in helping the franchise win its first-ever NBA Championship in 2023 before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in 2025 in exchange for Cameron Johnson.
How did Jokic change the Nuggets' offense?
Porter Jr. described the learning curve of playing alongside the Serbian MVP. The forward admitted he was not familiar with Jokic's game initially, but people around the organization kept telling him how good the center was. The unique passing and scoring ability of the three-time MVP reshaped Denver's attack. Porter Jr. noted the surprise of seeing a player who could score forty a game if he wanted to, yet play with such nonchalance during training camp sessions.
The chemistry between Porter Jr., Jokic, and Jamal Murray became the foundation of the Nuggets' success. The trio's combination of perimeter shooting, interior passing, and pick-and-roll execution proved unstoppable en route to the 2023 title. Porter Jr.'s journey from unaware rookie to championship contributor illustrates the development path of a team built around an elite big man.
