Kevin Porter Jr. in Greece: How PAOK made the most unexpected signing / News - Basketnews.com

Following a series of incidents, Kevin Porter Jr. became an NBA outcast. Now, the 23-year-old has a chance to revive his career with PAOK in Greece. BasketNews presents the background and all the details of one of the most surprising deals in recent years.

Credit: PAOK BC Credit PAOK BC

At a time when the season seemed lost and almost out of nowhere,PAOK matecomade one of the most unexpected signings of the year, bringingKevin Porter Jr.over to Europe until the end of the current campaign.

April Fools' Day had most people think the reported deal was nothing more than one of those customary pranks that tend to surface on the first day of the month. But Shams Charania's tweet and the Greek club'sconfirmation of the agreementdidn't leave much room for doubt.

So, how did PAOK manage to land Kevin Porter Jr. in Greece?

Porter Jr.'s decision to look for overseas options came pretty late this season. Porter played his last official game on April 8, 2023, recording 26 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists in Houston's win over Charlotte.

By the end of February 2024, it was clear that his only aspiration this year would be to step on the floor again and show what he can do, essentially re-starting his career in order to slowly climb the necessary stairs to the NBA.

Porter turned to his European agent, Nuno Pedroso, who informed him about the possibilities in the Old Continent.

Since early March, Porter Jr. 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. 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 Jr. was trying to learn more about PAOK. He spoke with center Justin Alston, also represented by Pedroso.

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

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