The Denver Nuggets didn't speak to Michael Porter Jr. before the draft.
The 2018 NBA Draft brought both the expected and a few surprises. But, perhaps no surprise was bigger than when the Denver Nuggets selected Michael Porter Jr. with the No. 14 pick and potentially got the steal of the night.
The fact the Nuggets drafted him wasn't a shocker, however. What was surprising was Porter Jr. dropping to number 14. Even stranger, the Nuggets didn't even speak to Porter Jr. before they called his name.
Just a year ago, Michael Porter Jr. was heavily a favorite to be drafted in the top-three of this year's NBA Draft, but a severe back injury changed his stock in a hurry. Sitting on the draft floor on Thursday night, Porter Jr. listened to name after name get called and prospect after prospect go up to the podium, donning the colors of their new teams as he sat there and waited. As the No. 14 pick approached, it was Porter's last chance be selected as a lottery selection. As the Nuggets poured over his medical materials, it was hard to know if they'd take a chance or not. Logic suggested they'd be crazy not to, but team after team declined and went with someone more likely to pass physical after physical.
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A back injury limited Porter to three appearances at Missouri and recent news that he had experiences spasms didn't help his cause. Still, Porter was considered a lottery pick at the worst and the Nuggets had perhaps the most difficult decision of the night. They had to make a call despite never interacting with the young star since they assumed he would have been picked before their spot.
During an interview with Yahoo Sports! Porter Jr. said, " today was the first time I talked to anyone on the [Nuggets]... so it's crazy because, for me, I was a wildcard. I had no idea where I was going. To have a team that believes in me and hadn't even talked to me shows a lot about them and I can't wait to get to know everyone there."
As it stands, Porter Jr. will get the chance to prove the Nuggets made the right call. His intention is to prove it's the best draft selection the franchise has ever made and if he's healthy coming into next year, he'll likely get that chance.