Scott County's support of Porter

There will be a lot of excitement this evening when Scott County Central dedicates the gym floor at Ronnie Cookson Gymnasium to recently drafted NBA player Otto Porter.

A Scott County Central graduate, Porter went on to have a successful two-year career at Georgetown University. In June the Washington Wizards selected him with the third pick in the draft. If Porter's high school and college seasons were any indication, he has the potential to be an outstanding professional player and wow fans in our nation's capital -- plus scores in Southeast Missouri.

In addition to tonight's ceremonies, which begin at 6:30 p.m., today is Otto Porter Jr. Day in Scott County. The city of Morley has designated Saturday the same. On Saturday night Porter's jersey will be retired at a sold-out banquet.

While the ceremonies and special honors will be nice, the story of a community coming together to celebrate a young man's success is a sign of a tight-knit community. Many people in Scott County, and elsewhere in Southeast Missouri, feel a special connection to Porter. They watched him grow up, play basketball and demonstrate good citizenship. His family played an important role in his development, as demonstrated by Porter choosing his father's number to wear in the NBA.

Yes, Otto Porter is a talented player. Yes, we hope he has a successful NBA career. And yes, tonight will be special for him. But for Scott County and the people who know him, the next two days are about a community coming together to celebrate the success of a young man they know and are happy to see succeed.