15x NBA All-Star drops uplifting message for Bobby Portis after his 25 game suspension: "Stay on your grind"

The announcement of Bobby Portis' 25-game suspension on Thursday for violating the NBA's anti-drug policy surprised players and fans across the league. Portis, who will miss all but four of the Milwaukee Bucks' remaining regular season games, was handed the suspension after accidentally taking the wrong painkiller to ease an elbow injury he has been dealing with throughout the season.

Portis has been beloved by fans in Milwaukee since arriving in 2020, and he received support from NBA Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett via an Instagram story. Garnett offered words of encouragement, telling Portis to not be hard on himself as he deals with his suspension. Garnett reminded Portis to focus on what is important: improving his play so he can help in the playoffs.

"Hold you head Bobby p.. You good!! KEEP WORKING N STAY ON YOUR GRIND," Garnett wrote.

Garnett offered kind words to Bobby Portis as he begins serving his 25 game suspension (image credit: instagram/tic_pix)

Garnett, a 15-time NBA All-Star, also dealt with suspensions throughout his 21-year career.

Portis' agent, Mark Bartelstein, released a statement about the suspension, saying that his client will not fight it. However, he expressed his displeasure with how severely the NBA enforces its anti-drug policy, penalizing Portis for an honest mistake on the same level as a player who abused drugs while playing.

How will the Milwaukee Bucks fair during Bobby Portis' absence?

Losing Bobby Portis for nearly the rest of the season puts the Milwaukee Bucks in a tough position as they are fighting to stay within the top six of the Eastern Conference. Portis has served as the Bucks' sixth man this season, averaging 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds in 47 games.

The Bucks will likely rely on newly acquired Kyle Kuzma to pick up Portis' scoring slack. After exchanging Khris Middleton for Kuzma ahead of the trade deadline, Milwaukee has gone 2-2 in his first four games with the team. As Kuzma gets more comfortable in his new role, Milwaukee hopes to have another reliable scoring option to bring off its bench.

Portis will rejoin the Bucks before the postseason begins, giving them a boost in play and morale as they prepare for what they hope would be a deep playoff run.