Since leaving the Denver Nuggets, Michael Porter Jr . has been on a tear for the Brooklyn Nets. His performances place him in the mix for a potential All-Star appearance and among the hottest assets to teams looking to make a deep playoff run.
Off the court, Porter Jr. has also been generating buzz, primarily through podcasts and talk shows, sharing his opinions beyond basketball. His big media run last summer was one for the books — especially his appearance on Justin Laboy's "Respectfully" podcast, when he shared that he split rent with his ex-girlfriend.
" So, basically, she's looking around for her apartments and she came across one, but it was way out of her price range. I was like, 'This is really nice. I want you to be able to stay here and I wanna be able to pull up and stay here. What can you afford and I'll pay the rest.' I end up doing that. I said whatever happens in this relationship in the next year, I'm committed to paying this rent. Cause I don't know if this is my wife, if it's not, " Porter Jr said .
From the outside looking in, most would agree that Porter Jr., whose career earnings through the 2025-26 NBA season total over $153 million from contracts alone, could have gone out of his way to help his ex-girlfriend by paying the full rent. However, while it's arguable whether he approached the situation in the right way or not, he certainly fulfilled the promise he first made.
" So, for the next year I got you, whatever happens —we can break up, I got you for the next year. We end up breaking up five, six months into the rent. So, I'm at a point now where do I keep helping her out, or is it cooked? She ended up hitting my phone, asking for the bread, which I don't blame her because she went into that apartment not being able to afford it, and I gave her my word, " he added.
" Why don't you just send her, her half for the rest of the year? " the host asked MPJ.
" Because she need to act right month to month. If I'm paying her the remaining amounts month to month and I see she's wildin', then like, bro, it's going to be hard to continue that agreement. Because if you're out here wildin' get that next dude to pay you your rent, " Porter Jr. answered.
In one of his own podcast episodes, Porter Jr. confessed that women have always been his biggest vice . But even though he has had a fair share of relationships during his career, he has never been called a womanizer.
Still, that's Porter Jr.'s biggest reason for being unmarried at 27, despite openly expressing his desire to start a family. But when you are a young 6'10'' professional athlete with a lot of fortune, it's challenging to settle down, and questioning the other party's interest becomes inevitable.
As a result, Porter Jr. finds himself cycling through relationships — feeding the "addiction" but ultimately feeling more empty. And he's far from alone. Many athletes fall into the same pattern, a reminder that wealth often magnifies people's vices.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
