Second chances aren’t guaranteed in the NBA. When players get in trouble off the court and receive the appropriate punishment, they may never step on an NBA court again.
A Los Angeles Clippers guard was fortunate enough to return to the big leagues after a necessary one-year absence, and he’s refusing to take the opportunity for granted.
“I got to learn myself, experience some things,” Kevin Porter Jr. told ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk on Monday.
“And I feel like this is the best version of myself, so it’s been good. I can’t say everything, but just my upbringing, the triggers and things and with experiences. The meaning of the experience and learning from it. This is the, if not No. 1, top two best jobs you can ask for as an athlete, as a person. So I’ve seen that get taken away, and then it just puts you in a place with what you want to do for the rest of your life. So I’m very grateful to be back, and I’m going to do everything I can and stay as long as I want.”
Porter signed with the Clippers in July after logging zero minutes of NBA action a year ago. He was a member of the Houston Rockets before the start of the 2023-24 season, but a domestic violence charge quickly changed that status.
The Rockets traded the former first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in October, and the Thunder didn’t hesitate to waive him shortly after.
In January, Porter pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and a harassment violation to avoid spending time behind bars. By then, though, Porter had missed the first three months of the season and was inching closer to sitting out a full year of professional basketball. Porter evaded that nightmare by signing with the Greek club PAOK in April.
During his most recent NBA season, Porter averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds per contest. The 6-foot-4 guard is a smooth ball handler who understands the importance of going with the flow offensively. If his initial move doesn’t give him his preferred outcome, he’ll go off schedule and adapt to his opponent’s defensive game plan. He’s also an underrated passer who can dish out dimes while moving at rapid speeds.
Everyone may not agree with the Clippers’ decision to add Porter to their roster during free agency, but he’s determined to prove he’s a changed individual during the 2024-25 season.