Michael Porter Jr Injury History

Michael Porter Jr., commonly known as MPJ, is the starting small forward for the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets selected him 14th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. Born on June 29, 1998, in Indianapolis, Indiana, the 6-foot-10 forward has become one of the NBA's elite shooters. Porter Jr attended Father Tolton Regional Catholic High School in Columbia, Missouri, for three years before transferring to Nathan Hale High School in Seattle, Washington, for his senior year. As a five-star recruit, he dominated high school basketball, earning the title of National High School Player of the Year in 2017. He capped off his high school career by being named MVP of the 2017 McDonald's All-American Game, leading the West team to a 109–107 victory over the East.

Porter Jr played college basketball at the University of Missouri, where his father was an assistant coach. His NBA career quickly highlighted his outstanding shooting ability, with a high release that makes him nearly impossible to defend. As of November 2024, Porter Jr boasts a career shooting average of 50% from the field and 41% from three-point range. In the 2023-24 season, he set a Nuggets franchise record with 220 made three-pointers. Porter played a crucial role in the Nuggets' 2023 NBA Championship run, starting in all 20 playoff games. He averaged 13.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game during that championship journey, solidifying his reputation as a reliable contributor on both ends of the court.

Michael Porter Jr.’s Injury History

Michael Porter Jr. has faced some major injuries throughout his basketball career, both in the NBA and before joining the league. Some of the injuries were so bad that some people said his basketball career might be over. Despite these setbacks, MPJ has shown amazing resilience and made a comeback. Here's a complete breakdown of the major injuries he has sustained during his time in the NBA, as per Fox Sports:

Major Injuries Michael Porter Jr. Sustained in the NBA

Back Injury - Lumbar Spine Surgery (Out for Entire 2018-19 Season)

Michael Porter Jr.'s NBA journey has been heavily impacted by back issues, starting with his rookie season. The Denver Nuggets selected Porter with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, but he did not play in the entire 2018-19 season due to a back injury. Porter Jr. underwent lumbar spine surgery to address herniated disks. The procedure was performed at The Carrell Clinic in Dallas, Texas, by Dr. Andrew Dossett.

Right Ankle Sprain (January-February 2020)

In his second season, Michael Porter Jr. faced a right ankle sprain that caused him to miss six games between January and February 2020. Porter himself noted that the sprain was worse than expected, and it forced him to take time off to rest and recover. MPJ explained Mike Singer of Denver Post,

“I'm kind of using this time as beneficial to me, getting to rest that ankle. It was a pretty bad sprain, worse than I thought. It's been good to just be able to get my body back right and everything. ... I was playing through a lot of pain. Especially planting on it and cutting. That was tough for me. I felt like I needed to play, obviously."

So, MPJ admitted to playing through significant pain earlier in the season, particularly when cutting and planting on his injured ankle.

COVID-19 Protocols (January 2021)

In early 2021, Porter Jr. had to miss 10 games from January 1 to January 19 due to the NBA's health and safety protocols surrounding COVID-19. His absence disrupted the Nuggets' rotation, but he was able to return once he cleared the necessary protocols.

Another Back Injury - Lumbar Spine Surgery (November 2021)

As the 2021-22 season began, Michael Porter Jr. played the first 8 games, but something was clearly off during the 9th game against Houston on November 6, 2021. Just three minutes into the game, Porter Jr was on a fast break with an open basket ahead of him. However, instead of jumping for the dunk, he awkwardly opted for a layup, which he missed. He stayed in the game for a few more minutes, but soon he was taken out of the game and after that, he never returned to the court for the entire 2021-22 NBA season.

It was revealed that Michael Porter Jr. would need a third back surgery. Eventually, MPJ underwent lumbar spine surgery performed by Dr. Andrew Dossett at the Carrell Clinic, this procedure sidelined him for the remainder of the 2021-2022 season. MPJ missed 73 games, including the 2022 playoffs. This marked the third major back surgery of his career, a critical concern given his previous surgeries in both college and his rookie year.

Left Heel Contusion (November - December 2022)

In the 2022-2023 season, Porter was sidelined with a left heel contusion, which caused him to miss 13 games between November and December 2022. Despite the injury, he made a successful return and went on to play a vital role in the Nuggets’ championship run that season. The team ultimately won the 2023 NBA Championship, with Porter contributing significantly during the postseason.

Major Injuries Michael Porter Jr. Sustained Before the NBA

Michael Porter Jr. also faced a series of significant injuries before joining the NBA, which impacted his draft stock. They are as follows —

Microdiscectomy Surgery (November 2017 to February 2018)

As a five-star, number 1 high school recruit, Michael Porter Jr. decided to play the 2017-18 college season for the University of Missouri. However, his highly anticipated debut for Mizzou turned into a nightmare. In just the second minute of the season opener against Iowa State on November 10, 2017, Michael Porter Jr. suffered severe back pain and had to leave the game. This injury turned out to be terrible as MPJ was expected to miss the remainder of the college season due to surgery in the lower back area. Eventually, on November 22, 2017, Porter Jr. underwent a successful microdiscectomy surgery on his L3-L4 spinal discs.

After three months of injury lay-off, MPJ was cleared to play in February 2018, with the possibility of returning to play before the season ended. NBA executives wanted MPJ to play if he felt healthy enough as they hoped to see him in action before deciding if they wish to draft him or not. Soon, Michael Porter Jr made his return on March 8, 2018, during the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament. He also played in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, where Missouri lost to Florida State. However, in both games, Porter Jr. came off the bench instead of starting, as a precautionary measure due to his injury. Despite playing just 3 games in college, Porter Jr. decided to forgo 3 years of college basketball and entered the 2018 NBA Draft. However, his draft stock plummeted as he went from being the top high school recruit to being selected 14th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft.