Michael Porter Jr., recently traded to the Brooklyn Nets, opened up about his early doubts and eventual admiration for Nikola Jokic’s greatness. On the Glory Daze podcast, Porter revealed Jokic’s hidden work ethic, consistency, and why he believes Jokic will cement a historic legacy in Denver.
Michael Porter Jr. is entering a new chapter with the Brooklyn Nets, but the former Denver Nuggets forward has been in the spotlight for more than his blockbuster trade.
Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic
Position: C
Age: 30
Height: 208 cm
Weight: 111 kg
Birth place: Sombor, Serbia
His candid comments about NBA culture, player vices, and even rigging conspiracies recently dominated headlines. But in his latest appearance on the Glory Daze podcast with Johnny Manziel, Porter Jr. turned attention to his former teammate, Nikola Jokic—and offered one of the most eye-opening tributes yet.
Porter admitted that he didn’t immediately recognize Jokic’s greatness when he first arrived in Denver.
“I didn’t really know much about Nikola, honestly. I did not. And he wasn’t the superstar he is now when I first got drafted,” Porter recalled.
During his first training camp, Jokic didn’t stand out to him.
“Even when we went into training camp, I remember asking my teammates, ‘So this dude is really that nice?’ Because in practice, him and Mason Plumlee were kind of going head-to-head,” he said.
His teammates quickly corrected him: “Wait until the real games come—this dude’s a problem. He could score 50 every night if he wanted to.”
The hidden side of Jokic
Beyond the highlight reels and championships, Jokic is often painted as a player who doesn’t love basketball as much as he does his horses. After he hinted at retirement earlier this summer, fans speculated he would leave the game to focus on equestrian life in Serbia.
But Porter strongly disagrees with that narrative.
“People don’t realize—you don’t achieve that type of greatness by accident. His day-to-day habits, the way he works at his craft, is unbelievable. He’s the most consistent guy I’ve ever seen.”
From pre-game treatment to post-game lifts, Jokic’s routine is meticulous. Porter compared it to the legendary consistency of LeBron James: “Nikola is the same way, man. Doesn’t matter what happened the night before, he’s getting his work in.”
At 30, Jokic is already a three-time MVP and an NBA champion. While he hasn’t signed a long-term extension with the Nuggets this summer, speculation about him joining Luka Doncic elsewhere seems premature.
For Porter, Jokic’s combination of humility, family focus, and relentless discipline sets him apart. “Like, he’s just such a family dude. But at the same time, he cares so much about basketball and being great.”
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