Michael Porter Jr. is making a serious case to be Brooklyn’s first All-Star since the Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving era - and the numbers are backing him up in a big way.
With All-Star voting officially open, Porter has emerged as the Nets’ clearest path back to the league’s midseason showcase. His role in Brooklyn has expanded, his confidence is growing, and his production is reaching new heights. Inside the organization, there’s a growing belief that Porter isn’t just putting up numbers - he’s stepping into the spotlight with the kind of consistency and assertiveness that turns heads across the league.
Now in his first full season with the Nets, Porter is thriving in a system that’s finally giving him room to operate. No longer playing in the shadow of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray, he’s been unleashed - and the results are hard to ignore.
He’s posting career highs in nearly every major offensive category: points, assists, field goals, threes, free throws, usage rate, touches, and assist percentage. In short, he’s doing everything the Nets could’ve hoped for - and then some.
He’s currently averaging 25.6 points per game, which puts him seventh in the league - a clear sign he’s not just producing, he’s producing at an elite level. He’s already notched nine 30-point games this season, and he’s doing it with remarkable efficiency.
Porter is hitting 3.6 threes per game and doing so under pressure - literally. He leads the entire NBA in made threes against tight defense (40), showing he’s not just a volume shooter, but a shot-maker in the toughest situations.
And it’s not just about the deep ball. Porter’s scoring versatility is what’s setting him apart.
He leads the Eastern Conference in field goals made when touching the ball for less than two seconds (5.8), a stat that speaks to his ability to make quick, decisive plays. His off-ball movement is just as deadly - he ranks first in the East in points per game off dribble handoffs (3.7), first off screens (3.5), and tied for third on cuts (3.8).
That’s a complete offensive profile, the kind that makes defenses scramble and coaches take notice.
One of those coaches is his own - Jordi Fernandez - who’s not shy about endorsing his star forward for All-Star consideration.
“If you like watching basketball, I’m pretty sure you like watching Michael play,” Fernandez said.
And he’s not wrong. Porter’s game is easy on the eyes - smooth, fluid, and increasingly lethal.
He’s become a matchup nightmare, able to rise and fire over defenders, cut behind them, or bury them with a quick catch-and-shoot three. He’s showing the kind of offensive polish that screams All-Star.
But there’s one wrinkle in the story - and it’s a big one. Porter’s future in Brooklyn isn’t guaranteed.
Trade rumors have been swirling, and even Porter himself has acknowledged the uncertainty. There’s a real possibility he could be moved before the deadline, which would obviously complicate his All-Star candidacy as a Net.
He’s not alone in that regard. Cam Thomas is also hearing his name in trade chatter, though some insiders believe the market for the young guard may be limited.
Still, as of now, Porter is in Brooklyn - and he’s giving fans a reason to believe again. If he stays, and if he keeps up this level of play, there’s a real shot he could represent the Nets in Inglewood this February. And for a franchise that’s been searching for a new face since the Durant-Irving chapter closed, Porter might just be the star they’ve been waiting for.