Report: Michael Porter Jr.’s Parents To Decide If He Plays This Season

Missouri freshman and projected lottery pick Michael Porter Jr., who’s been sidelined since Nov. 10 with a back injury, was recently cleared for all basketball activities.

According to ESPN‘s Jeff Goodman, his parents will now decide whether the 6-10 forward takes the court for the Tigers this season:

One source close to the family told ESPN that no decision has been made on whether he will play — and that his parents will ultimately make the decision. His father, Michael Porter Sr., is an assistant coach with the Tigers, and his younger brother, Jontay, is a freshman forward.

“It will depend how he looks in practice,” the source told ESPN. “There’s no plan, and they will just see how he looks and then make a decision.”

Porter Jr. went through a limited practice Friday and a shootaround Saturday. Missouri (18-11, 8-8) has two regular-season games left before tournament play.

Once in the No. 1 pick conversation, Goodman reports that multiple NBA GMs believe he has fallen out of the top five:

Multiple NBA general managers told ESPN that Porter, who was in the discussion for the No. 1 overall pick before his back injury, is now likely on the outside of the top five — behind Arizona’s Deandre Ayton, Duke’s Marvin Bagley III, overseas standout Luka Doncic and possibly behind Texas’ Mo Bamba, Michigan State’s Jaren Jackson and Oklahoma’s Trae Young.

“If he wants to be a top five pick, he should play,” one NBA GM told ESPN. “Right now I don’t think he is.”

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Report: Michael Porter Jr. Has Been Fully Cleared For All Basketball Activities