Playing in the NBA certainly has its perks. Being paid enough to set your family up for generations to come is enough to make anyone envious, but, though many fans aren’t interested in hearing it, there are drawbacks as well.
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Few players embody that dichotomy better than Michael Porter Jr. MPJ has made over $115 million in his career, and he’s also achieved the ultimate in team success as a member of the 2023 champion Denver Nuggets.
Porter’s also seen the darker side of that life, though. He’s battled debilitating injuries throughout his career and was recently uprooted from Denver to Brooklyn after being traded to the Nets. He’s also seen his brother succumb to temptation and become embroiled in a betting scandal that cost him his career.
Porter hosts the Curious Mike podcast, an interview show where he candidly discusses topics that interest him. On his most recent episode, he opened up about the worst part of being an NBA player.
“Something that’s kind of a bad thing that I didn’t really prepare for was the loneliness you feel,” he said. “Just through the process of the season — all the traveling, all the nights in the hotel alone — it is isolating. You do feel very isolated, especially when you don’t have a significant other, and you don’t have somebody who’s traveling with you on the road.”
Cold-hearted fans will likely hear that and play the world’s tiniest violin, but mental health has become recognized in recent years as an important part of being a pro athlete in all sports. Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles and Kevin Love have all spoken about the importance of mental health, so what Porter is talking about is real.
A lack of human connection is one of the leading causes of unhappiness. Porter has his teammates, but his status as a rich, famous person likely makes it difficult to form real bonds with many people outside of that circle. His injuries, which have frequently forced him away from the team, even make it more difficult to stay in the loop with those he should be closest to.
Porter is one of 10 kids, but he admitted that he doesn’t have a lot of friends. Being a gifted athlete didn’t make him better equipped to overcome that.
Porter’s candor gives us a rare window into what it’s like to be an athlete, with all the good, bad and ugly that comes with it. It’s going to be interesting to see how he handles the change of scenery in Brooklyn this upcoming season, both on and off the court.
