Two minutes.
That’s basically all it took to change the entire trajectory of the Missouri Tigers’ 2017-18 season. When the Michael Porter Jr Mizzou era began, people in Columbia weren't just thinking about a winning record; they were thinking about a Final Four. The hype was unlike anything the program had seen in decades. Then, in the season opener against Iowa State, the unthinkable happened. Porter tweaked his hip—or so we thought at the time—and limped off the floor after just 120 seconds of action.
Honestly, it felt like the air was sucked right out of Mizzou Arena. We didn't know it yet, but we were witnessing one of the most bizarre and "what-if" heavy freshman seasons in college basketball history.
The Recruitment That Shook the SEC
To understand why everyone was so obsessed with Porter coming to Missouri, you have to remember where the program was. They were coming off three straight miserable seasons. Attendance was down. The energy was dead. Then Cuonzo Martin gets hired, and suddenly, Michael Porter Sr. joins the coaching staff.
It was a package deal. Everyone knew it.
Porter Jr., the number one recruit in the nation depending on which site you looked at, decommitted from Washington and headed home to Columbia. He brought his brother, Jontay Porter, with him. Suddenly, Mizzou had the fourth-ranked recruiting class in the country. Fans who hadn't cared about basketball since the Frank Haith era were suddenly buying season tickets in bulk. It was "MPJ" mania.
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He wasn't just a tall kid who could shoot. He was 6-foot-10 with a jumper that looked like it was manufactured in a lab. He was the "savior."
The Injury and the Secret Surgery
After those first two minutes against Iowa State, the information coming out of the Mizzou camp was... well, it was vague. First it was a hip issue. Then it was a leg injury. Finally, on November 21, 2017, the bombshell dropped: Michael Porter Jr. was undergoing a microdiscectomy of his L3-L4 spinal discs.
Basically, he needed back surgery.
The recovery time was projected at three to four months. For most freshmen, that’s a wrap on their college career. You'd just go to the NBA and protect your draft stock, right? But Porter kept insisting he’d be back. He’d post cryptic Instagram photos with Bible verses like James 1:2-4, telling everyone he was going to suit up again for the Tigers.
The Late Season Return: Was it Worth It?
Most people thought he was done. Then, in late February, he was cleared for practice.
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On March 8, 2018, in the SEC Tournament against Georgia, he actually stepped back on the court. It wasn't the dominant, high-flying MPJ we saw in high school highlights. He looked stiff. His rhythm was off. He played 23 minutes, shot 5-of-17 from the field, and finished with 12 points. Mizzou lost.
Then came the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers were an 8-seed facing Florida State. Porter came off the bench again, playing 28 minutes. He managed 16 points and 10 rebounds, but he shot 4-of-12. The Tigers were bounced in the first round.
And just like that, the Michael Porter Jr Mizzou career was over. Three games. 53 total minutes. It's kinda crazy when you think about it. The most hyped player in school history played less than an hour of competitive basketball in a Mizzou jersey.
What Most People Get Wrong About His Impact
It’s easy to look at the stats—10 points and 6.7 rebounds per game—and say he was a bust. But that misses the point entirely. MPJ changed the culture at Missouri overnight. Before he arrived, the Tigers were 8-24. With him (and because of the excitement he brought), they went 20-13 and made the Big Dance for the first time since 2013.
His presence paved the way for other big recruits later on. He proved that Mizzou could actually land the "big fish." Plus, Jontay Porter stayed and became a legitimate star in his own right that season, averaging 9.9 points and 6.8 rebounds while showing off a passing touch that was arguably better than his brother's.
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The Draft Slide and the Denver Payoff
If Porter had stayed healthy, he was a lock for the top three. Instead, the medical red flags—specifically that back—scared off almost everyone in the 2018 NBA Draft. He famously slid all the way to the Denver Nuggets at number 14.
Looking back from 2026, we know how that story went. He won a ring in 2023. He became one of the best shooters in the league. But for Mizzou fans, there's always going to be that nagging feeling of "what if?" What if he hadn't jumped for that rebound in the first two minutes against Iowa State? What if he was 100% for that Florida State game?
Honestly, the Tigers probably don't win a national title, but they almost certainly don't go home in the first round.
Key Stats from the MPJ Era
- Games Played: 3
- Total Points: 30
- Field Goal %: 33.3%
- Free Throw %: 77.8%
- Draft Position: 14th Overall (2018)
Why It Still Matters Today
Even now, whenever Mizzou lands a five-star recruit like they did recently with Jason Crowe Jr., the first name anyone mentions is Michael Porter Jr. He is the benchmark for talent in Columbia. He showed the ceiling of what Missouri basketball could be—a program that stops the world for a few months.
If you're a fan looking to understand the current state of Tigers basketball, you have to look back at that 2017 season. It was the moment the program decided it wanted to be relevant again.
Next Steps for Mizzou Fans:
- Check out the 2017-18 season archives on the Mizzou Athletics website to see how that roster (including Jordan Barnett and Kassius Robertson) carried the load while Porter was out.
- Follow the current NBA performance of the "Porter family" to see how the brothers are faring after their respective injury-plagued college stints.
- Watch the highlights of the 2018 SEC Tournament return game against Georgia to see just how much his movement was limited compared to his current NBA form.