I've had two people tell me indirectly from members of the family that Michael is coming back next season. This is what is being said right now. I heard it from one place three or four days ago and I heard it from another last night after the game.
Now, let me caution you, I'm not telling you that's what's going to happen. I fully believe after the way he played in the last two games and the fact that his team lost them both, RIGHT NOW Michael thinks he wants to come back. Because I do believe it matters to him and I do not believe this is the way he wants his college career to be remembered.
However, it's not decided by any means. Similar to the "when will he play" debate, his feelings could and probably will change multiple times before the whole thing ends. With the losses and the performances fresh in his mind, I'm sure he's thinking "I'm gonna come back and show them all the player I really am." And it's not impossible it happens.
But I still think it's probably far more likely that over the course of the next six weeks, at some point, he'll come to the conclusion that being a college star has never been the goal. Being an NBA star has. Always. And he still can be, and most will still expect him to be. There's virtually no way he falls out of the top ten. Now, could he say "I don't want to go in the top ten, I want to go in the top one" and decide to come back? Sure. Again, I think that's highly unlikely, but not impossible.
With Jontay, I think we have to see what decision Mike makes. If Mike comes back, Jontay will too. I'd be shocked if that wasn't the case. But what I've been told on Jontay for a month now is if he is confident he is a first round pick, he's going to go. So it really comes down to what he hears from NBA people. I fully expect him to put his name in for draft consideration (unless Michael shocks us all and comes out in the next couple of weeks and says he's staying). He may leave open the option of returning, but I'd expect him to at least explore his options and go through the process.
The deadline to declare for early entry is 11:59 p.m. on April 22nd. The deadline to withdraw is 5 p.m. on June 11th. At some point in the next one to three months, we'll know how many Porters will be on the roster next season.
Now, let me caution you, I'm not telling you that's what's going to happen. I fully believe after the way he played in the last two games and the fact that his team lost them both, RIGHT NOW Michael thinks he wants to come back. Because I do believe it matters to him and I do not believe this is the way he wants his college career to be remembered.
However, it's not decided by any means. Similar to the "when will he play" debate, his feelings could and probably will change multiple times before the whole thing ends. With the losses and the performances fresh in his mind, I'm sure he's thinking "I'm gonna come back and show them all the player I really am." And it's not impossible it happens.
But I still think it's probably far more likely that over the course of the next six weeks, at some point, he'll come to the conclusion that being a college star has never been the goal. Being an NBA star has. Always. And he still can be, and most will still expect him to be. There's virtually no way he falls out of the top ten. Now, could he say "I don't want to go in the top ten, I want to go in the top one" and decide to come back? Sure. Again, I think that's highly unlikely, but not impossible.
With Jontay, I think we have to see what decision Mike makes. If Mike comes back, Jontay will too. I'd be shocked if that wasn't the case. But what I've been told on Jontay for a month now is if he is confident he is a first round pick, he's going to go. So it really comes down to what he hears from NBA people. I fully expect him to put his name in for draft consideration (unless Michael shocks us all and comes out in the next couple of weeks and says he's staying). He may leave open the option of returning, but I'd expect him to at least explore his options and go through the process.
The deadline to declare for early entry is 11:59 p.m. on April 22nd. The deadline to withdraw is 5 p.m. on June 11th. At some point in the next one to three months, we'll know how many Porters will be on the roster next season.
