ESPN No. 10 ranked high school junior Jontay Porter has officially reclassified to the 2017 class and will play at Missouri next season with his brother, No. 1 Sr Michael Porter Jr.
“Mizzou is home, so first of all, I’m incredibly thankful for this opportunity to attend the University of Missouri,” Jontay Porter said via a statement “Coach [Cuonzo] Martin and his staff are awesome, and they are definitely one of the things I look forward to most about playing for Mizzou.”
“Moving up to college will be an easy transition for me, especially with my family here in Columbia,” added Porter. “Mizzou Basketball will be something really special, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
Coach Martin said he was thrilled to have Jontay join the team this fall.
“We’re very excited about Jontay’s decision, which was a big one for him and his family,” said Martin. “Jontay is certainly a talented basketball player, but his outstanding work in the classroom should not be overlooked. The ability to reclassify requires a serious commitment to your academics.”
The 6-10, 240-pound center was the second-leading rebounder in the Nike EYBL this summer, averaging a team-high 18.1 points and 12.6 rebounds on 44 percent shooting from three for Mokan Elite.
Playing alongside his brother Michael, Jontay averaged 14.3 points and 13.6 rebounds this season for Nathan Hale HS (Seattle), leading the team to an undefeated season and the Washington state 3A championship.
The previous season, Jontay Porter averaged 11.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and a whopping 4.9 blocks for Father Tolton Catholic (Columbia, MO) as a sophomore.
“It almost seems effortless the way he blocks shots,” his brother Michael told columbiatribune.com. “The timing is ridiculous. It doesn’t matter if it’s a dude spotting up on the wing, he’ll think he has a wide-open shot, and Tay will just come out of nowhere.”
“I’ve seen all the top players in his class and to me, [Jontay’s] a top-five player in his class,” Michael Porter added. “I’ve seen all those dudes, and I can’t say there’s many better than him.”
For more basketball news go to http://www.blacktoptv.com/