Former SCC standout awaits pro destination

The NBA Draft is set for Thursday night in New York City, and the buzz throughout southeast Missouri centers on one question: Where will Otto go?

Otto Porter Jr. averaged 16.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for Georgetown this past season. (Associated Press file photo)

Otto Porter, for those among us who are sports-challenged, is a 2011 graduate of Scott County Central High School who spent the past two seasons honing his prodigious basketball skills at Georgetown University before declaring for the NBA Draft earlier this year.

Porter, a 6-foot-8, 205-pound forward, averaged 16.2 points a game last season, led the Hoyas to a 25-7 record and the Big East regular-season championship, was named the Big East Player of the Year and was a consensus first-team All-America.

Pretty heady stuff for a kid from little Morley, Mo. But Porter has never been one to be distracted by accolades, no matter where they came from. The son of Otto Sr. and Elnora Porter learned at an early age to not let success go to his head. It's a well-known story that he eschewed prominent AAU programs and instead developed his skills under the watchful tutelage of his father.

Otto Jr. parlayed those efforts into three consecutive Class 1 state championships at Scott County Central and a scholarship to Georgetown University, where he perfected his game under Hoyas head coach John Thompson III.

"He's going out, in my opinion, as without a doubt the most prepared person in this year's draft to step in and immediately compete and immediately contribute at the next level," the Georgetown coach told Jon Rothstein recently on SiriusXM's Tim Brando Show. "He's just special. He's someone that takes pride in every part of the game. He's not just thinking about points, touches, his looks. He understands that a defensive deflection, that communication on defense is as important as a three-pointer or a dunk, and I think he's going to have a terrific career."

Porter is, indeed, special. The question is, how special?

Draft experts pegged Porter as a top-10 selection immediately after Porter announced his intention to turn professional shortly after the Hoyas' season ended with a shocking first-round upset in the NCAA tournament. Within the past two months, as pro prospects have worked out for various NBA teams prior to the draft, Porter's stock has risen steadily while others slide up and down various draft boards.

"Right now, I'm focused on making an impact [for] any team I go to," Porter said in a recent interview with the Washington Times. "Using my versatility when I first get there to help the team win -- that's my main focus."

Ryan Blake, the senior director of NBA scouting operations, recently offered his take on Porter.

Georgetown forward and former Scott County Central standout Otto Porter Jr. is projected to be one of the top picks in Thursday’s NBA Draft. (Nick Wass ~ Associated Press)

"He's sort of that versatile player that does everything," Blake said. "You've got to remember he's 6-8, and when you get into the Georgetown system, you have to have those fundamentals. You have to have that knowledge. You have to have that passing, that unselfishness. ...

"People look for an elite athleticism like what Tracy McGrady and Kobe and LeBron have -- the guys that sky and go over people -- but you also look at guys that can really make a difference on a team. And this is a guy that immediately can come in and do so much. ...

Otto Porter Jr.

"He's a great passer as well. He has that knowledge. He has the mentality to score, pass and defend. Sometimes, when you see that versatility, you don't want to pass that up. He doesn't have to be a LeBron James. He's been relatively healthy his whole career, since high school, and he just does so much. He did it in a different system, and when he gets to an open system, I think it'll snowball into bigger and better things."

During an appearance last week on ESPN 980's Inside the Locker Room, Thompson indicated he thought Porter should be the No. 1 overall selection. Most mock drafts have Porter going to the Washington Wizards at No. 3. (Cleveland owns the top pick, followed by Orlando.)

"I think he'd be a very good fit for the Wizards," Thompson said. "He may not be there by the time the Wizards draft. But do I think he would be a good fit? Absolutely. You look at the nucleus that they have, particularly with (point guard) John Wall and (shooting guard Bradley) Beal, that's a terrific backcourt. They already have a few people that play his position (small forward), but I think he would be a very good complement, very good fit, very good piece to the Wizards puzzle."

If the Cavaliers have their eyes on Porter, they're not showing their hand. As winners of the NBA Draft lottery, Cleveland knows it needs to make a splash with the No. 1 overall pick and, although Porter does fill a void on their roster, the Cavs are thought to be centering on a center -- either 7-1 Alex Len of Maryland or 6-11 Nerlens Noel of Kentucky.

Orlando has made no secret of its affinity for Porter. But the Magic already have two good, young small forwards in third-year pro Tobias Harris and second-year man Maurice Harkless and, according to the experts, will find it difficult to bypass a shooting guard at No. 2.

"I think the Magic like Otto Porter Jr. a lot," said Josh Robbins, beat writer for the Orlando Sentinel. "It's difficult not to admire what he accomplished with Georgetown and the work ethic he would bring to an NBA team. But I would guess -- guess -- that the Magic will draft Ben McLemore, Nerlens Noel or Victor Oladipo if the Magic hold onto the second pick."

Still, the Magic seem inclined to draft the best player available instead of draft strictly for positional need. Team officials hosted Porter in Orlando within the last several days for a workout and interviews. And, in a recent interview with the Sentinel, Porter mentioned the Magic as one of the teams that would be the best fit for him.

"My versatility -- I think that's definitely going to show when I get to the NBA," Porter said. "My ability to rebound, bring it up the court, make something happen or set up the play. Anything the coach has in store for me, I think my versatility is going to carry over."

If the Magic go the shooting guard route, that leaves Porter available to the Wizards at No. 3. Recent rumors have the Chicago Bulls looking to trade up and are offering a package including two-time NBA All-Star small forward Luol Deng for the No. 3 pick and veteran center Emeka Okafor.

Don't look for the Wizards to take the bait.

"A 10-year veteran and two-time all-star, Deng, 28, averaged 16.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists last season in Chicago," wrote Michael Lee, who covers the Wizards for the Washington Post. "He is slated to earn $14.2 million next season and would become a free agent in the summer of 2014. In other words, the Wizards would have to sacrifice their best interior defender and a potential franchise building block for a possible one-year rental."

That leaves Porter, and there's little doubt Wizards management kept close tabs on Porter throughout his two-year collegegiate career in the nation's capital.

"[The Wizards have] great young guys," Porter said in the Times interview. "[John Wall and Bradley Beal] can create for themselves and create for others. I think it would be a good fit for me."