Jontay Porter declares for the draft
Missouri freshman Jontay Porter has elected to follow in his brother Michael Porter Jr.’s footsteps once again — this time to the NBA Draft.
Jontay, who reclassified in order to join the Tigers a year ahead of schedule and play alongside his brother this season, announced Thursday that he will enter his name into the NBA Draft. His decision comes just days after Michael announced he, too, would leave Missouri after just one season. However, Jontay will not hire an agent, so he will still be eligible if he decides to withdraw his name from consideration and return to Columbia for his sophomore season.
Several sources have told PowerMizzou.com that if Jontay hears from teams that he is likely to be selected in the draft’s first round, thus earning a guaranteed contract, he will sign with an agent. Recent mock drafts from NBADraftnet, Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report all predict Jontay will be selected in the late first to early second round. The deadline to withdraw from draft consideration is May 30.
While a return is not out of the question, several sources have indicated to PowerMizzou.com that it is unlikely. Porter is expected at this time to keep his name in the draft.
Jontay, who will turn 19 in November, averaged 9.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game this season. Entering the year, he was expected to be one of several sidekicks complimenting Michael, but in the absence of his older brother, Jontay was at times the team’s best player. In his final six games of the season, Jontay averaged 14 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest. However, he also battled inconsistency throughout the season, particularly against bigger teams, like when he scored just two points in the Tigers’ NCAA Tournament matchup with Florida State.
Assuming Jontay does not ultimately return for his sophomore season, only one player (Jeremiah Tilmon) from Missouri’s celebrated 2017 recruiting class, which was ranked No. 4 nationally, will still be on the roster next season. The Tiger coaching staff will have four open scholarships to fill before then. One of those is expected to be used on Chicago point guard Xavier Pinson, who committed to the Tigers in February. Head coach Cuonzo Martin has also been heavily recruiting point guard Courtney Ramey, the top-rated player in Missouri for the 2018 class. In order to fill the remaining openings, the coaching staff will likely look to pick up one or more transfers.
Martin could potentially also be in the market for a new assistant coach. While no update has yet been provided, it is speculated that Michael Porter Sr., the father of Michael and Jontay, could follow his sons. PowerMizzou.com will provide any information on that front as it becomes available.