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NBA DRAFT

June 21, 2018

Michael Porter Jr.

Brooklyn, New York

MICHAEL PORTER JR.: I'm super excited. My thing all along was being with the organization that believed in me. I heard (Denver) was a great city, a great organization. I can't wait to grow with them.

Q. Did you get a chance to know Denver at all in terms of getting to --
MICHAEL PORTER JR.: Honestly, I just got on the phone with their coaches. We really haven't had much conversation --

Q. You didn't do the workout, the usual --
MICHAEL PORTER JR.: Yeah, I met them one time. They were a little surprised that I was still on the board. So this is the first time we've really talked. They sound great, and I can't wait to get to know them.

Q. What has this process felt like for you? This time last year you're thinking maybe the chance to go No. 1 overall, and then a lot of things outside of your control result in a different set of circumstances. What has this process been like for you?
MICHAEL PORTER JR.: It's been a roller coaster, for sure. It's had its ups and its downs, but I think God has been the driver of it all. It was crazy because I was working out for a month straight, hearing from the very top teams in the draft, and that little episode of that hip pain happened and all the top teams are a little scared. I feel like that was God and maybe he didn't want me to go to one of those teams. I'm excited about it, and I'm looking at it in a positive way.

Q. At the table in the draft, what was the feeling when you weren't hearing your name called? I know you've tried to be stress-free. What was the stress level? Were you starting to get a little agitated, or what was your feeling?
MICHAEL PORTER JR.: No, I'm not going to lie to you, I was stressed out. All that stress was overcome by joy the moment I got called, no matter what number it was. It's been my dream since I was a kid.

At the end of the day, the draft is a number and I wasn't going to let an ego get in the way of my joy.

I'm happy to be where I'm at, and I feel like it's the perfect situation for me.

Q. I just want to clarify, you had no contact with Denver prior to today?
MICHAEL PORTER JR.: I think they were at my pro day and I shook their hand. I talked to the -- I think it was the GM, either the GM or the owner today. That was my first time talking to them.

Q. Earlier today?
MICHAEL PORTER JR.: Earlier today, yep.

Q. What was going through your mind when you heard Knicks' fans yelling and basically chanting your name?
MICHAEL PORTER JR.: Honestly, I was feeling bad for if it wasn't me, the kid that did get drafted in New York. That's my guy, and I'm happy for him. When a kid gets drafted, I'm looking at them and I'm feeling joy, too, because their dreams are coming true, too. Honestly, I was going to be happy that they accepted me. But if it wasn't me, I mean, I'm a little sad for the dude that got drafted there. But I was glad they clapped, and I'm happy for Kevin (Knox).

Q. Aside from the hip issue, do you think this was -- what led you to be taken 14th? People see this as unexpected, borderline unprecedented drop in the draft. Do you think it was the fact that you barely played last season? Some negative press came out about your attitude, the hip issue. Do you think these all combined to what happened tonight and was some of that a bit off base?
MICHAEL PORTER JR.: Yeah, honestly, the teams at the very, very top of the draft told me last week I was their guy, they were going to take me. Then the hip episode happened, and then doctors got involved and they got scared. So once one team gets scared, a lot of them get scared. And that's what caused the drop.

Like I said, I consider it a blessing because maybe the team I was going to go to at the top wasn't the right team for me. For me, we're all in the NBA now. We'll see who are the best players and we'll see who should have been the top draft picks. I'm just happy that it's over with and I know I'm going.

Q. If we had spoken two hours ago when you were walking into the building with all your friends and fellow draftees. Two hours ago where did you think you were going to go?
MICHAEL PORTER JR.: I was hopeful that -- obviously you want to get drafted as high as you can, I'm not going to lie. But I was hopeful Sacramento because that was one of the teams that was like -- Memphis, Dallas, they were all really, really interested. I was hopeful that they would still not worry about the back. I understand that's going to get right and this is about the long-term. I had no expectations. But then when you're sitting there at your table and another pick goes by and another pick goes by and you start seeing all your friends going, you start getting a little anxious.

Q. Your parents, your family and your agent have had your back through this, and tonight what did you see and hear from them as they were sort of going through the anxiety along with you?
MICHAEL PORTER JR.: Honestly, through those dark times that I've had -- I don't want to say "dark"; those harder times for me to say positive -- it's been my family, my agent who keep telling me positive things and keep making me believe the right things. They all believe in me. They all know I'm going to do great in this league and I'm going to have a long, successful career. Their whole message to me was you want to be with the organization that believes that as well. That happens to be the Denver Nuggets, and I'm very, very thankful.

Q. Just to follow up on your Denver contact today, did the Nuggets give you an indication they were going to pick you then?
MICHAEL PORTER JR.: They were like, we don't think you're going to make it to 14. You've never even been on our board. We thought you would be far gone. But if you do, that would be awesome. We'll take it into consideration.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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