April 16, 2026, 10:58 a.m. ET

NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. is coming off the best season of his career as he undertook a new role as the primary scoring option for a rebuilding Nets team. While Porter didn’t make the All-Star Game for the first time in his career, he still proved how impactful he can be and he explained how others should view him and his game.

“Definitely. I think overall, it was a positive season for me. I think there’s even steps and levels that I can expand my game even more,” Porter during his exit interview on Monday when asked if others around the NBA should view him as an All-Star caliber player every season. Porter, along with everyone else on the team, had to endure a tough season where wins were hard to come by, but he’s confident in where his game is at.

“I compare this season to a little bit like my first season in the NBA. Your first season at NBA, you see a whole lot,” Porter continued. “You see the speed of the game and everything, and then that offseason, you get to adjust and realize what the NBA is all about and come back better. I feel like for me in this new role, it just felt like a completely different experience out there on the basketball court with a new team, young guys, new role for me.”

Porter, 27, averaged 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 46.3% from the field and 36.3% from behind the three-point line. Porter displayed his ability to perform well in a more-involved role as he achieved career-highs in points per game and assists per contest, but he also shot below his career-marks in shooting percentages.

Porter also played just 52 games, which was the least amount of games that he’s played in a season since the 2021-22 campaign when he played in just nine games for the Denver Nuggets. With that being said, Porter played well enough to be considered by many to be an All-Star for the first time in his career so it seems that many around the league already view him as a difference-making kind of player.

Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!