Michael Porter Jr. officially committed to Washington on Friday, just as he and his USA Basketball U18 teammates were leaving for the FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Chile.
Washington head coach Lorenzo Romar is Porter Jr.’s Godfather and Romar recently hired Michael Porter Sr. as an assistant coach. Romar and the entire staff looked on proudly last Sunday after Porter Jr. and MoKan Elite won the Peach Jam championship with a 93-65 win over the PSA Cardinals.
“Talking to my dad and Romar, I knew it was where I wanted to go,” Porter told ESPN after Tweeting out his commitment.
“My dad told me it was the best place for me to get to the next level,” Porter Jr. added. “I made it clear I wanted to be one-and-done if possible and he told me it was an ideal spot to do that. I trust my dad and I trust Coach Romar.”
Washington, which hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament under Romar since 2011, could now go a third straight year with one-and-dones. Freshmen forward Marquese Chriss was the No. 8 pick by the Sacramento Kings and freshman guard Dejounte Murray went No. 29 to the San Antonio Spurts.
Meantime, incoming wing guard Markelle Fultz is the projected No. 2 pick in 2017 per DraftExpress.com.
Porter Jr. is projected by one mock draft site as the No. 6 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Fultz and Porter Jr. and Porter Jr. have been the two most impressive players at the USA U18 practices.
“Markelle Fultz and Michael Porter are outstanding offensive players,” one NBA scout said. “Fultz and Porter can flat out score the ball.”
Washington also added point guard Blake Harris in the 2017 class and remains in the mix for Trae Young, Porter’s MoKan Elite teammate and the co-MVP of the Peach Jam.
Still, Young is also considering Oklahoma, Kentucky and Kansas, among others.
“Trae wants to win a gold medal first and then decide on that stuff,” his father, Rayford Young, told SNY.tv after Porter’s commitment.
Porter Jr. also told ESPN he plans to recruit 6-11 Mohamed Bamba to Washington. Bamba plans to cut to 10 schools next month and Duke, Kentucky and Harvard are among the schools hot on his trail.
“At some point in August, I’m not sure when,” he said.
(Photo: Kelly Kline / Under Armour)
