Michael Porter Jr. had lofty expectations for himself entering the NBA. Porter didn't only expect to be an All-Star, but the best player in the league. While injuries slowed him down earlier in his career, he's making up for lost time with the Brooklyn Nets.
Porter has planted himself firmly in the All-Star conversation while breaking as the Nets' No. 1 option. Jordi Fernandez said there's no doubt the 27-year-old deserves his first selection.
“He's an All-Star. He's played like an All-Star, you just got to watch him play, and how much better he's gotten,” Fernandez said. “He's been in a different role, and he's proven he can do it. And it's not just the shot-making, which I think if you're an NBA fan, you just watch Michael take and make shots, right? It's how he's been working off the ball to get those shots, also rebounding, career-high rebounding and free-throw attempts and assists. All those things that he's just making an impact on the group. [We're trying] to compete at the highest level… We've competed for a lot of games, and he's a big reason why we're there. He's just doing his job, and it's not about him; it's about the group. So if you think about his impact on competitiveness, that's what All-Stars do, and that's why Mike should be there.”
Asked Jordi Fernandez about Michael Porter Jr. potentially earning his first All-Star selection:
"He's an All-Star. You just got to watch him play… If you think about his impact on competitiveness, that's what All-Stars do, and that's why Mike should be there." pic.twitter.com/jhZZ7ZlKyN
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) January 9, 2026
Porter has averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists on .491/.404/.838 shooting splits across 30 appearances with Brooklyn. He, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the NBA's only players averaging 25-plus points and seven-plus rebounds on over 49 percent shooting this season.
Will Michael Porter Jr. end the Nets' All-Star drought during breakout season?
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Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) makes a three point shot against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at the American Airlines Center.
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
However, as Fernandez noted, Brooklyn's team success with Porter at the forefront is the most convincing aspect of the forward's All-Star case. The Nets were projected to be in the running for the NBA's worst record this season.
However, they're 11-13 over their last 24 games with Porter in the lineup. Most impressively, they've posted a positive net rating (2.8) in Porter's minutes during that span.
Porter finished ninth in the Eastern Conference in the last round of the All-Star fan voting. However, with the Nets star unlikely to be voted in as a starter, the NBA's head coaches will determine whether he earns a selection. Fans (25 percent), players (25 percent) and media (50 percent) vote on the starters, while coaches select the seven reserves in each conference.
Porter would mark the Nets' first All-Star since Kevin Durant in 2021-22 and the seventh since the team's move to Brooklyn in 2012. Durant (2020-21 and 2021-22), Kyrie Irving (2020-21), James Harden (2020-21), D'Angelo Russell (2018-19), Joe Johnson (2013-14) and Brook Lopez (2012-13) are the Nets' only All-Stars during the Brooklyn era.