Nets' Michael Porter Jr. Claims He Should Be Discussed with Top Shooters in the Game

When you ask most NBA fans or players who some of the best shooters in the game are, Steph Curry is always the top answer, along with players like Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard, among others.

But one current Brooklyn Net insists he should be part of that conversation.

Michael Porter Jr. appeared on a Twitch livestream on Saturday and was asked which
players in the league could shoot better than him. His answer to that question had some
fans scratching their heads.

“Stephen Curry—that’s the only one I’m giving like a clear elite, can shoot better than
me. There’s dudes that are on the same level: I think Klay Thompson. KD, I think like...If I got in the gym, like Duncan Robinson, he probably can shoot with me. You know—Trae Young, Dame... But I think Steph is the only one that’s clearly a better shooter,” Porter Jr. said.

The Nets acquired Porter Jr. from the Denver Nuggets this offseason in exchange for Cam Johnson. In addition to grabbing another first-round pick, the Nets made the move to see if a change of scenery could revive Porter Jr.’s career image. He wasn’t a bad player by any stretch in Denver, but his inconsistency was an issue at times.

While you can debate Porter Jr.’s health, lack of willingness to pass, and his defense, you can’t deny his scoring ability. Across six seasons in Denver, he averaged 16.2 points per game on 50% shooting from the field and 40% shooting from behind the arc. Those 50/40/80 shooting splits are elite in the NBA, and that’s where Porter Jr. is at in 345 career games.

While on the surface, Porter Jr.’s shooting claim in his Twitch appearance seems like a stretch, by looking at his career splits, it’s not an absurd claim for the former Missouri Tiger to make. The Nets hope that he can maintain those shooting splits in Brooklyn and have a career year. Porter Jr. is one of a few veterans on a very young team, and his leadership will be crucial this season.

Porter Jr. will get a chance to go shot-for-shot with Curry on Dec. 29 in Brooklyn and March 25 in San Francisco, the two dates that the Nets and Warriors square off this season. The NBA world will find out if Porter Jr.’s claim is closer to fact or fiction. Regardless, he is undoubtedly a great shooter.