Washington Hires Michael Porter Sr. as Assistant Coach
The University of Washington confirmed the hiring of Missouri women's basketball assistant Michael Porter Sr. as an assistant coach Friday. The story was first reported by Rivals.com National Basketball Analyst Eric Bossi via Twitter.
UW head men's basketball coach Lorenzo Romar offered the job to Porter Sr. in March, a source told Rivals.com. ESPN's Jeff Goodman reported that the former Missouri women's assistant also had offers from Texas A&M and Missouri to become a men's assistant coach.
"We’re extremely excited to have Mike and his family join us,”Romar said in an official release. “I’ve known him for many years and he will be a very valuable addition to our coaching staff. Mike has a very high level of experience in player development and also provides a network of recruiting in the Midwest that we have not really been able to tap into. There’s no doubt he will help our program continue to grow and be a great mentor to our guys.”
With the hiring of Porter Sr., assistant coach Brad Jackson has changed roles as special assistant to the head coach. Recently, Washington also promoted Raphael Chillious to assistant head coach.
In college, Porter Sr. has only been a women's assistant coach with Missouri while also holding the title of Director of Basketball operations. Prior to his time in Columbia, he served as an AAU head coach.
“I am extremely humbled and excited to have the opportunity to join the UW men’s basketball program,”Porter said in a statement. “The admiration, trust and respect my wife, Lisa, and I have for Lorenzo Romar stems from many years of watching how he lives his life and handles his business. I’m grateful for the chance to work with and learn from a man who exemplifies everything I want to be as a husband, father and coach.”
The hiring of Porter Sr. also brings with it a question of where his two sons, Michael Porter Jr. and Jontay Porter, will attend college. Porter Jr. is a 6'9, 210-pound strong forward/shooting guard and the No.2 overall prospect in 2017 according to Rivals.com.
Lorenzo Romar is Porter Jr's Godfather. The other son, Jontay, is already committed to Washington as a four-star power forward out of Tolton Catholic (Columbia, Mo.), the No.45 prospect in 2018 according to Rivals.com.
Jontay Undecided on Seattle High School
The younger of Porter Sr's two sons, Jontay, has not selected which high school he will attend once he moves to Seattle, the four-star prospect told Rivals.com after news broke. Garfield High School and Rainier Beach High School are the two programs that make the most sense for the 2018 prospect.