Jordi Fernández on Michael Porter Jr: From Talented Kid to Grown Man

Due to their high-profile stature and hefty contracts, NBA players are often expected to grow up quicker than most young adults.

But it’s worth noting that many of these players are still teenagers upon arriving in the NBA, including Michael Porter Jr., who was selected by the Denver Nuggets as a 19-year-old.

During his first few years in the league, Porter Jr. was coached by current Nets head coach Jordi Fernández, who is impressed by his new forward's improved maturity over the years. According to Fernandez, Porter Jr.'s improvements are the product of playing for a successful franchise.

"He's a grown man. When I was with him, he was a young kid... He was a great player [when he was] younger, and now, I can see how mature he is.," Fernandez told Sharif Phillips-Keaton. "You can tell that he's played on a winning team for many years."

Now with six years of NBA experience under his belt, the former NBA champion provides the team with some much-needed experience as they push through with their rebuild. At 27 years old, Porter Jr. will step in as the third-oldest player on a team that does not have a single player over the age of 30 years old.

Since arriving, Porter Jr. has displayed some encouraging traits as a leader, most recently singing the praises of younger teammates like rookie first-round draft pick Drake Powell and third-year player Tyrese Martin. While he may not have established a reputation around the league as a veteran leader just yet, Porter Jr.'s attitude up to this point is a positive sign of maturity and growth as he enters the next stage of his career.

The Missouri product has also demonstrated growth on the court in recent years. Last season, Porter Jr. was trusted with the heaviest workload of his career (career-high 33.7 minutes per game) while averaging a career-high 2.1 assists and posting his top shooting percentage of the past three seasons (50.4%). For a squad that isn't exactly full of offensive firepower, having a scorer like Porter Jr. (career average of 16.2 points per game) will be vital.

On a team loaded with young, developing players, the Nets will likely count on Porter Jr. more than the Nuggets ever did throughout his time there. If his improvement from last season and comments in training camp are any indication, the Nets seem to have added a valuable veteran piece to help keep the ship afloat during their rebuild.