NBA Champion Expresses Eye-Opening Experience After Spending Time With Rival Stephen Curry: “That Was Imprinted on Me”

Drafted in 2018, Michael Porter Jr.’s health has always been an issue standing in the way of his success. He missed his rookie season having to recover from back surgery and registered only nine games in 2021-22 due to another back surgery. Despite this, he has made a remarkable recovery and this season has been smooth sailing for the 25-year-old. He has played all 40 of the Nuggets‘ games so far this season.

Apart from his injuries, Porter has shown himself to be extremely athletic, a strong defender, and an excellent shot-creator. Some could even say he is the cornerstone of Denver’s future. A huge part of this athleticism can be credited to Stephen Curry, who took him under his wing a few years ago.

The astonishing amount of work Stephen Curry puts in the gym

Porter Jr has had the opportunity to witness Stephen Curry’s workouts on more than one occasion. In 2015, he received an invitation to be a part of Steph’s exclusive SC30 Select Camp. During this time, he was able to train and play alongside the Golden Boy. In a recent episode of From the Point by TraeYoung, Porter shares the experience of being inspired by Steph. “Working out with Steph I mean you know, you just kind of see the work ethics so from a young age like that was imprinted on me like how good this dude is, how he prepares, how he works out,” he says.

Porter admits that it was his first time being around a superstar, and it had such a huge impact on him which he will carry with him through the rest of his career. The highlight of the training camp for Porter has been the workout sessions where he says, “Those are the workouts in my whole life that when I leave those, I feel like I got better.” Porter was invited to the same camp the next year. Both these years, he was named as the camp’s MVP. Soon, he would be drafted into the NBA and would meet his mentor as a rival.

It took a while for Porter Jr. to get used to it

In a classic student vs teacher standoff scenario, Porter would eventually play against Stephen Curry. So the young star admits that it took him at least a year for him to come to terms with the fact that Curry is just another opponent, apart from being a superstar and his idol. Nevertheless, the respect was always there.

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Porter would go on to win his first NBA Championship in 2023 with the Nuggets. In Game 5 of the Finals, he posted 16 points and 13 rebounds, contributing to Denver’s 94-89 win over the Heat. This season, he has been averaging 16.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in what will hopefully be his healthiest season yet.

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