Porter says Clippers doctor kept him from being drafted by L.A.

Michael Porter Jr. was likely a top-three NBA draft pick going into the 2017-18 NCAA season. However, after a severe back injury in Missouri's season opener cost him most of the campaign, his stock dropped.

The Los Angeles Clippers had two back-to-back picks in the 2018 draft - Nos. 12 and 13 - but didn't select Porter, allowing him to drop to the Denver Nuggets at 14.

On Wednesday, Porter said that he knew the Clippers weren't going to draft him because their team doctor was scared away by the injury.

"No, their doctor was the one that wrote the report on me," Porter told reporters. "I think he wrote some stuff like he thought that I would never play basketball again, so I didn't think they'd pick me."

Clippers coach Doc Rivers confirmed the belief during his media availability.

"It was brutal for us," Rivers said. "We had (Porter) on our board, I remember that just the medical report, the red flag was so hot."

Porter sat out the entire 2018-19 season with the Nuggets after undergoing a second back surgery. The Clippers, meanwhile, selected Miles Bridges and Jerome Robinson with their picks, trading Bridges to the Charlotte Hornets for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on draft night.

"We got the one guy we wanted in Shai," Rivers said. "And the second pick, when (Porter) was on the board, and I tell you, it was a brutal pass because everyone in the room knew his talent, but it was more the injury concern. That was the only other concern."

Over two years later, Porter is playing some of the best basketball of his brief NBA career as the Nuggets and Clippers prepare to meet in the second round of the playoffs. He's averaging 17 points and eight rebounds inside the Orlando bubble, showcasing the skill set that some scouts compared to Kevin Durant's when he was coming out of high school.

Porter doesn't seem to hold any grudge against the Clippers, however.

"I mean, I didn't expect them to pick me, but it's going to be fun to play against them, for sure," he said.