Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone spoke to reporters on Friday about recent off-court events that occurred this week involving the brothers of forward Michael Porter Jr.. On Wednesday, the league announced the lifetime ban of Porter's brother, Jontay Porter, for betting on NBA games, and among other things, disclosing confidential information to sports bettors. It was then announced on Friday that Porter's younger brother, Coban Porter, was sentenced to six years in prison for killing a woman in a DUI crash in 2023.
Porter Jr. was not at practice on Friday, as he was attending Coban's sentencing in Denver, but Malone as well as Porter Jr.'s teammates spoke about how Porter Jr. has handled the situation.
"It has not been easy for him," Malone said. "That's why I give him credit, because he's carrying so much in his heart and on his mind. For him to go out there and do the job that he's doing, it speaks to how much strength that young man has."
Porter spoke at his brother's sentencing on Friday, mentioning how he looked up to his younger brother.
"I truly don't think I'd be in the position I am today as a professional basketball player without a brother like Coban pushing me every day," Porter Jr. said. "He would get up earlier than me, work out harder than me. I know it's not often that a big brother looks up to a younger brother, but that is how it was for me."
Porter also said at the hearing how he was the first to hear about the car crash as police officers called him the morning of January 22, 2023.
"He said, 'Coban has been in a fatal accident.' He didn't specify if Coban was the one who died or if it was someone else," Porter Jr. said. "I understand your family's pain and hurt. When he didn't specify what it was, I felt that. I know that if I were in your shoes and it was reversed, I would have a lot of feelings as well."
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said that while he hasn't talked to Porter Jr. about either situation, he and the rest of the team support him as he deals with his family matters.
"I don't think we've spoken to him about it. That's just not something we talk about," Murray said. "We're just keeping it professional here and we all support him. He's handling it really well. Obviously, it's not easy. But yeah, we're just letting him deal with it."
While Porter Jr. was not at practice on Friday, he'll likely be in the starting lineup for the Nuggets as they begin their title defense against the Los Angeles Lakers Saturday night. Porter Jr. is the third-leading scorer for Denver, averaging 16.7 points and seven rebounds, in a year where he's played 81 games, the most in his career.
