Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Missouri’s Jontay Porter declaring for draft, but will not hire agent

SEC Basketball Tournament - Second Round

ST LOUIS, MO - MARCH 08: Jontay Porter #11 of the Missouri Tigers shoots the ball against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second round of the 2018 SEC Basketball Tournament at Scottrade Center on March 8, 2018 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Getty Images

First, Jontay Porter followed his brother Michael to Missouri. Now, he’s joining him in the NBA draft, but with one significant caveat.

The 6-foot-11 Jontay is declaring for the 2018 NBA Draft after his freshman season with the Tigers, but, unlike his elder brother, will not immediately hire an agent in order to retain his college eligibility, it was announced Thursday.

”I have loved everything about my experience on and off the court as a member of the Mizzou family, but have always dreamed of playing in the NBA,” Porter said in a statement released by Missouri. “While I am not making any final decisions at this point, I am not hiring an agent and will be diligent in complying with all NCAA rules to ensure that I maintain my eligibility to compete at the NCAA level for Mizzou in the future.

“I am going to declare for the NBA draft. This will allow me to evaluate my status with NBA teams so that I can make a fully educated decision on my future. I am excited for this opportunity and appreciative of the continued support from Mizzou nation throughout this process.”

Porter averaged 9.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in his rookie campaign, which he moved up a year by graduating high school yearly to join his brother, Michael, a projected top-five pick in June, and his father, Michael Sr., an assistant coach on Cuonzo Martin’s class.

While Jontay isn’t the prospect that Michael Jr. is, he was a five-star recruit with a projected NBA future. It’s a strong big man class in this year’s draft, so Jontay Porter could be looking at a better draft slot should he elect to return to Missouri, but he’ll garner real looks from NBA teams during this evaluation process.