A few days ago, the Rockets and the Cavaliers completed a deal. The Rockets sent a second round pick in exchange for Kevin Porter Jr.
“We all hope he can succeed.”
“So no matter what happens to Kevin in the future, we hope everything goes well for him.”
“Our responsibility is to do everything we can.”
“And we really did our best.”
Last season, the Cavaliers once again ushered in a failed season. Since LeBron James, who led Cleveland to win the first championship, left for the second time, the team has plunged into the dark again, with 19 wins and 46 losses. He was rejected from the playoffs for two consecutive seasons. However, unlike the first time the little emperor left, the local fans were disappointed but not desperate, because compared to the first lineup, the darkness of the future could not be seen. This time, the potential is obvious. There is much to look forward to in the future.
Among them, the future of Kevin Porter Jr. is the most anticipated. Porter was selected by the Bucks at the 30th overall pick of the year and was traded to the Pistons. In order to get him, the Cavaliers threw out the second round of four years in one breath. He was included under his command by signing and adding 5 million cash.
10 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. For a rookie who has played less than 23 minutes, such data is quite versatile. Even though the team still has two guns Darius Garland and Collin Sexton, the talent of Kevin Porter Jr. was once praised by the local media as a more suitable team cornerstone than the backcourt partners.
But why in less than a year, this cornerstone was “sold” with a second round of signing?
Growth experience
“That night, I didn’t know how to explain to the children why their father could not go home.”
“Since his father left, he has been clutching the basketball.”
Looking back at Kevin Porter Jr.’s basketball career, it is definitely not an exaggeration to describe it as “a bad fate”. At the age of four, a violent incident in South Seattle took away his father. Kevin Porter Sr., who was shot five times, was killed on the spot. After that, Kevin Porter Jr. devoted himself to basketball as if he wanted to vent his father’s pain. His mother recalled that from then on, Porter regarded family and basketball as the most important thing in his life. He actively spent his mind on his father’s favorite sports before he was alive, and entered his father’s high school alma mater, hoping to make some achievements. .
“In South Seattle, if you don’t play basketball, you will be drawn into the gang.”
“I told Kevin that he needed to make a plan B for himself. He rejected me because he firmly believed that he would become an NBA player.”
“Such confidence has become his most powerful weapon.”
Kevin Porter Jr.’s high school coach is quite optimistic about his basketball talent. It is true that in his teenage years, Porter has shown superior jumping ability and physical coordination than his peers. Accompanied by his talent is his strong self-confidence.
“He often comes to us to challenge.”
“He wants to prove to us how well he can fight.”
“At first, he didn’t attract my attention, but then I knew he needed me because he had lost his father.”
In high school, Porter often went to the local stadium to look for players to single out. Among them, there are many NBA players. His courage also attracted the attention of the college dean and NBA player Jamal Crawford.
After that, Crawford began to be like Porter’s “brothers”. He encouraged Porter when he was underperforming and gave him sneakers to provide him with his own experience in the NBA.
“My idol is James Harden.”
“He is almost unstoppable on the offensive side.”
Despite the guidance of Crawford, Porter’s idol is James Harden, who has eight All-Stars, one MVP, one Sixth Man, and three-time league scoring leader.
From a technical point of view, whether it’s the retreat shot, the gear shifting cut, or the style of the ball that is not afraid of collisions, Porter’s style of play does have the shadow of Harden, but the shadow is the shadow. Porter has a long distance from Harden in terms of experience and judgment. A big gap. It’s just that the excellent jumping ability combined with a pretty good shooting feel makes Porter have the potential to catch up with his idol in terms of hardware conditions.
Only in terms of software conditions, self-confidence seems to be a double-edged sword for him…
Enter the league
“These are the two most difficult months of my life.”
“To me, all this seems to collapse.”
“Basketball is like salvation to me.”
After graduating from high school, Porter attended the University of Southern California, played 21 games, averaging 9.5 points, 4 rebounds, 1.4 assists per game, not much playing time, but it can be seen that Porter has a good cut and finish ability, although the first step is explosive Not at the top, but he knows how to use the second step of changing direction to accelerate to throw away defenders. When the opponent comes out to make up the defense, Porter is not afraid of head-to-head with the opponent. The above-standard stagnation and core strength, plus excellent With his shoulder width and confrontation, Porter can still maintain his center of gravity when putting the ball.
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