Michael Porter Jr. finished 10th among Eastern Conference players in the first round of fan voting, reinforcing the idea that an All-Star selection remains a long shot despite him posting career-best numbers.

Still, the Nets continue to push his case, with Brian Lewis of the New York Post noting that the organization believes his impact goes far beyond what shows up in voting results.

Inside the team, Porter is viewed as a steady presence and a lead-by-example figure whose professionalism has stood out since early in his career.

As head coach Jordi Fernandez explained, “Mike is a leader by example. He shows up, always been very professional since I got to know him at 19 years old. He’s worked on his body, came in and did his work.

“Obviously, that shot is pure, but he puts a lot of time into it. He makes open shots, contested shots and impossible shots. That’s the work that not a lot of people see and his teammates see it.”

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR