May 18, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) shoots beside Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) in the first quarter during game seven of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Over the weekend, a 2023 photo surfaced of former Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. at a hotel with Taiwanese influencer Xiao A La, and people are buzzing with speculation about their relationship.
Xiao A La, who has been a presence on YouTube since 2015, has been previously linked to ball players in the press, but the out and proud trans influencer had fans confused after the leaked photo with Porter Jr., who made certain offensive comments about trans women last year on his talk show “Curious Mike.”
Speaking with former adult actress Lana Rhodes, Porter Jr. used a slur to refer to trans women and talked about NBA players dating trans women as a “fetish,” comments that drew fire from the queer community. He also called trans inclusion in women’s sports “bullsh*t.”
In the paparazzi photo, Porter Jr. (allegedly) and Xiao A La can be seen together, though their exact relationship is still largely a matter of speculation. Porter Jr. did indeed visit Taiwan in 2023 when outlets reported on Xiao A La’s involvement with a ball player, and fans started to connect the dots.
If the two were indeed dating in 2023, it makes Porter Jr.’s 2024 comments about trans women all the more inexcusable.
A La has been open and proud about her transness and allowed fans to follow every step of her transition via her YouTube platform. So for her to be seen with someone who speaks disrespectfully about trans women is, for some fans, a matter for concern.
That said, we don’t know their relationship, and we don’t know how long the two have known each other. If this is a new friendship or relationship, it’s possible that Porter Jr. could be changing his tune in regard to the offensive beliefs he held about trans women last year. But it’s also possible that he’s being a hypocrite.
Whatever the story is, a relationship between an NBA player and a trans person would be huge news. While many WNBA players like Brittney Griner and Layshia Clarendon are out and proud and have had trans partners, NBA players have tended to keep their queerness private.
For now, we don’t know much about this relationship, if it is indeed a relationship. What we do know is that if Porter Jr. is going to date the dolls in private, he needs to pay them more respect in public.
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