The Brooklyn Nets had very little to cheer for this NBA season. The performance of Michael Porter Jr., though, qualifies as somewhat of a bright spot.
In a nutshell, Porter just completed the best basketball of his life in Brooklyn this season. What makes it remarkable is not just the numbers—it is what he played through.
Michael Porter Jr. Had a Breakout Season
With the green light from the Brooklyn Nets, Michael Porter Jr. made the most of his freedom on offense. The 27-year-old posted career highs across the board, helping the Nets establish a respectable position in the league. In fact, he was so good this season when he was playing that quite a few pundits thought he got snubbed from the NBA All-Star lineups.
MPJ’s 2025–26 season stats: 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game in 52 games.
The numbers alone are impressive. The context behind them makes them extraordinary.
MPJ’s Condition Explained
Before he ever stepped into the NBA, Michael Porter Jr. was considered the best high school prospect in the country—a consensus top pick heading into the 2018 draft. Then the injuries came.
Multiple back injuries and two spine surgeries derailed what should have been a seamless rise. The damage left some of the nerves in his lower spine beyond repair, resulting in a condition known as “drop foot”—an inability to raise the front part of the foot, which affects walking, running, and virtually every movement involved in basketball.
To manage it, Porter Jr. wears an Ankle Foot Orthosis—a specialised brace originally designed for stroke patients—on his lower leg. Without it, he cannot run properly, let alone compete at the highest level of professional basketball. He has been wearing it since entering the league.
His first four seasons with the Denver Nuggets were further hampered by recurring back issues, but the one-time champion pushed through all of it. Now, after completing his seventh NBA season, Michael Porter Jr. is not just surviving—he has just played the best basketball of his career.
