Kevin Porter Jr. reflects on PAOK debut, reveals where he'd like to finish his career / News - Basketnews.com

Kevin Porter Jr. comments on his Greek league debut with PAOK and his first impressions from European basketball. The former NBA player refers to his knowledge of the EuroLeague and expresses a rather surprising wish.

Credit: PAOK BC Credit PAOK BC

Over the course of the current week,Kevin Porter Jr.has been in the spotlight as far as Greek basketball is concerned. The American guard moved toPAOK mateco until the end of the season, in one of the most unexpected signings of the year.

Points this season

44%75,2Points made:75,2Accuracy:44,0%Place in standings:26Record max:88Record min:61Best scorer:Andrew HarrisonTeamBCLStatisticsSchedule

From the moment he arrived in Greece to join his new team, coach Stathis Nerantzakis had marked April 6 on the calendar as a special day for PAOK's organization, but also for Porter Jr. himself, who returned to action in the game against Lavrio after a one-year absence.

His last appearance dated back to April 7, 2023 when the Houston Rockets were hosted by the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center, North Carolina. The 23-year-old guard scored 26 points, along with 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals to lead the Texas team to its 21st victory (112-109) in the regular season.

When Porter Jr. suited up for his first official outing in 2024, he knew that all eyes were going to be on him. Traveling PAOK fans were eager to watch him in action and Nerantzakis repaid them by entrusting the newly-signed player with a place in the team's starting five.

The former NBA player was obviously rusty, but still willing to help PAOK. In the first half, he only had one point off 1/2 free throws, 0/5 from the field, in addition to one rebound, two assists and three turnovers.

The second part started with another missed shot, but as the game was drawing to its conclusion, Porter Jr. managed to show spurts of his scoring potential as he kept posting up and even hit some long-range shots. He stayed on the court for 26 minutes, recording 14 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 5 turnovers, while going 5/14 from the field and collecting a PIR of 9.

However, his presence was not enough, as Lavrio prevailed by 89-85. For a player of All-Star caliber, playing his first overseas game after a 364-day absence in a gym with a capacity for 1.700 must have been a real culture shock. But South Attica, where Lavrio is situated, is no Charlotte -- and the Greek league doesn't come anywhere close to the NBA in terms of the amenities offered to players and fans alike.

Even though it took Porter Jr. more than half an hour to exit PAOK's locker room in Lavrio on Saturday evening, fans had no intention of waiting for him to appear and stormed into the designated area in search for a photo and a jersey signing. The Seattle-born guard didn't let a bad result get in the way of his interaction with fans or the media, and handled his obligations in a highly professional manner.

"It was good, honestly. I didn't play up to my level, of course," Porter Jr. told reporters.

"I had a slow start, but playing with this group of guys, they made sure that I stayed positive. The chemistry on this team is beautiful. It wasn't down. It was always joyful out there. I haven't been on the court like that and play regulation a long time. So, it's good to have a group of guys like that to rub me in when I started off slow. It was dope," PAOK's new signing commented on his comeback.

Scoring 13 of his total 14 points in the second part indicates that Porter Jr. might have some great evenings in store. PAOK need to win as many of their three remaining games as possible, but getting their star player ready to roll is pivotal.

Porter Jr. admitted that he was feelingmore comfortable in the second half, as he was trying to see the flow of the game.

"It's my first time in this type of league and it's a smaller court, a different defensive and offensive style," he said.

"I came into the game, wanting to adjust to this style of play, get to know my guys and build chemistry. I didn't really expect much from myself since it's been so long," he admitted.

"But I felt really good in the second half."

In September 2023, shortly before the start of the NBA season, New York City police arrested Porter Jr. following a complaint by his then-girlfriend and WNBA player, Kysre Gondrezick, whoaccused him of beating and choking her.

After a few months, the case was dismissed, as Porter secured a court settlement to avoid imprisonment. Part of the deal was for him to complete a court-ordered treatment program and stay out of trouble. Still, the Rockets didn't hesitate to trade him to theOklahoma City Thunder, who immediately waived him, leaving him without a contract in the league.

Apparently, after all those incidents, no franchise was willing to take a chance on him, which led the talented shooting guard to cross the ocean.

Yet, the decision to look for overseas options came pretty late this season. For the better part of the 2023-24 campaign, he explored the market, waiting for an NBA deal to come his way.

Towards the end of February 2024,Porter Jr. turned to his European agent, Nuno Pedroso, who informed him about the possibilities in the Old Continent while stressing the high level of competitiveness compared to other places like South America.

Since early March, he has picked up his workout routine, trying to get ready for his next deal. His representation, including his Greek agent, Giorgos Drakakis, saw that Porter was determined to focus exclusively on basketball.

At roughly the same time, PAOK were on the lookout for a scorer. The team from Thessaloniki finished 9th in the Greek Basket League regular season, and under the previous format, their campaign would have been over.

However, the introduction of the Play-In system allows them to play five more games and potentially climb up to 7th or 8th place if they manage to build a successful streak after two months without a win.

Thus, when Drakakis let PAOK know Porter was available, the two sides started negotiations.

"We had been working on the case since March 8, when the first contact was made," PAOK general manager Michalis Giannakidis toldBasketNews. At the same time, Porter was trying to learn more about PAOK. He spoke with center Justin Alston, also represented by Pedroso.

"I was trying to get back to the NBA," Porter Jr. reflected. "But things took a turn and I had to make a decision for what was right for me. I didn't want to sit out the whole year. PAOK gave me the opportunity to play and I said, 'Hell, I'm out there right now.'"

Nevertheless, after the first talks, PAOK's side realized that it would be impossible to meet the player's financial demands.

"Drakakis sent me Porter's asking price. The amount was so high I couldn't even share it with the president [Thanasis Chatzopoulos]," Giannakidis admitted, adding that a six-figure sum was never on the table.

But as time went on and neither side was getting what they wanted, PAOK raised the offer and reached out to Porter's camp again. Drakakis told Giannakidis he would discuss it with the player so the club could afford his signing.

The agreement was reached last Saturday (March 30), and the player arrived in Thessaloniki on Tuesday evening, much to the delight of PAOK fans, who welcomed him at the airport.

"From day one, people from PAOK embraced me," Porter Jr. confirmed.

"When we first had out talks and I was looking for a team to go to and finish the season, they were the first one I gravitated towards. It's been nothing but a family-oriented type of relationship from the start. From the jump, they showed me so much love that I had never had before. It was amazing.

I've been here for six days and it feels like home already. Besides the club I'm with, fans welcomed me when I got off the airport. I never had that experience before. Since my entire stay, they're very attentive. I never had that type of feeling or support."

As soon as he took the PAOK deal, the American guard felt like he needed to get acquainted with European basketball -- and especially with the Greek league, since PAOK aren't playing in international competitions.

"I had to do a lot of research when the opportunity came at first, before I committed," Porter Jr. confimed.

"Honestly, the Greek league is great. I want to be here. We got three games left and we're going to finish out strong."

When asked about his familiarity with the EuroLeague, Porter Jr. also admitted that his knowledge was scarce.

"I knew a little bit. I know that the EuroLeague is the second-best league in the world. I've never watched a EuroLeague game, but I know about it," he replied.

Upon signing with PAOK, the player's side made clear that their client is joining the Greek side until the end of the season.

"I hope he likes it a lot and that he still has things to prove so he can stay next year as well," Giannakidis told BasketNews.

Credit PAOK BC

It's no secret that Porter's main goal is to return to the NBA, and his American rep, Sam Permut of Roc Nation Sports, is already working on it. It's also a certainty that if Porter showcases his skills in Greece, many EuroLeague teams will ask for his services. But for the time being, he just wants to play basketball on a competitive level.

"Sure, you have to see what's going on," he said.

"But I definitely see myself coming back here. After fighting so hard to go back to the league, I want to come back and finish my career here, with PAOK. It's an understatement how grateful I am."

A pretty audacious statement for a 23-year-old player who has just experienced the first day of the rest of his career. But given all the enthusiasm surrounding his arrival, who can blame him?

Like what we are doing? You can express your gratitude here.