Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
“He’s earned every bit of it” - Porter poised for breakout role in 2023-24
8/12/2023 11:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The junior point guard has earned the trust of his program after a strong start to his Blue Raider career
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Walk through the Murphy Center on the right day this summer, or maybe by the Student Rec Center courts, or even on the court of the AMG, and you'll hear the swish of shot after shot falling in the basket.
It's a scene for a great many Blue and Lady Raiders alike in the summer, but for Jestin Porter, the shots were just one part of his summer work done quietly away from the eyes of fans, teammates and even coaches at times. But Nick McDevitt says that work his point guard has put in has been evident every day he saw the Houston native this offseason.
"When you rewind 12 months ago, to last summer, and think about where he was, to what we're seeing from him now, it's night and day," McDevitt said. "He's put in a ton of work in the offseason, just getting thousands of shots up... He's going to have a good year and he's earned every bit of it."
The extra shots for the slashing point guard are always welcome. While Porter dazzled MTSU fans in his first season in Murfreesboro as a spark off the bench capable of getting to the rim in the flash, his reputation for scoring came more from his prowess with the ball in his hands than from beyond the arc. McDevitt points out, however, that Porter's 32.8 shooting percentage (21-for-64) beyond the arc doesn't take into account his improvement after joining MTSU from Tyler Junior College in 2022.
While his nonconference numbers beyond the arc (7-for-27, 25.9 percent) showed Porter was still adjusting to the speed of the game at the college level, his CUSA numbers (14-for-37, 37.8 percent) demonstrate that Porter was a player who gelled as the season went on in 2023, ultimately finishing the conference season averaging 5.9 points per game in just 15.4 minutes played.
It was a fast start off the bench in Murfreesboro for the junior college transfer, who came to MTSU with a reputation for putting the ball in the basket, finishing in the top 10 in scoring nationally with 21.4 points per game as a freshman at Tyler.
Porter said MTSU stuck out early in the recruiting process from the Texas school.
"Middle Tennessee was a more consistent school that was talking to me a lot, checking up on me, making sure I was always good," said Porter. "It wasn't forcing things like a lot of coaches."
The junior college stop was a necessity for Porter, who graduated from Cypress Ridge High School in 2020, where the COVID-19 pandemic limited the rush of recruiting that occurs after the conclusion of the regular season in college basketball. While Porter had some Division I interest, none were ready to take him, so the junior college grind was the more appealing option.
The scoring came naturally to Porter, something his coaches at Tyler wanted after seeing his high school tape. But the focus on developing his point guard skills at the time kept the young guard busy.
"They wanted me to show D-1 coaches that I could be a point guard too," Porter said, mentioning he played mostly at the two-guard spot growing up in Houston. "So, I stayed in the gym a lot to get to where I am today."
His success scoring for the Apaches, plus his hyper athleticism as a defender, made him a good fit for the system the Blue Raiders run, McDevitt said.
"We really just like how his athleticism and his speed, and how with that he could really guard the ball," McDevitt said. "You think about our defensive style. It's a pressure system, everything falls in place behind that, but you got to be able to have guys that can pressure the ball and we really liked that about him, and how he can put pressure on the rim on the offensive end, in the open floor, particularly."
Those skillsets popped for McDevitt's staff in Porter's first year, but so did the quiet leadership of the guard, which ultimately earned him the respect of his teammates.
"He's earned the guys' ear," McDevitt said. "He has their respect because of the way he handles his business. Guys see that, they see who in their teammates they can count on."
Day after day, McDevitt said, Porter does all the small things right. He's never late for team meetings or practices, he doesn't skip class, and has the good grades that attendance rewards. He works hard in the weight room, never taking days off.
The work has earned him the respect, of not only his teammates, but the athletic department as a whole, with his selection to the CUSA Student Athlete Advisory Committee as MTSU's male athlete representative this fall. On the court, Porter is focused on improving his assist numbers in Year Two, developing that team control as a point guard, while keeping the work going on the offensive end.
The results of that work will come in time, however. For now, Porter is excited for MTSU's upcoming trip to Italy, and all the memories his teammates will make in Rome, Florence and Milan.
"I have never been out of the country," Porter said with a smile. "It'll be a tremendous opportunity, playing some teams overseas to see how we are coming along as a team and gaining added experience."
It's a scene for a great many Blue and Lady Raiders alike in the summer, but for Jestin Porter, the shots were just one part of his summer work done quietly away from the eyes of fans, teammates and even coaches at times. But Nick McDevitt says that work his point guard has put in has been evident every day he saw the Houston native this offseason.
"When you rewind 12 months ago, to last summer, and think about where he was, to what we're seeing from him now, it's night and day," McDevitt said. "He's put in a ton of work in the offseason, just getting thousands of shots up... He's going to have a good year and he's earned every bit of it."
The extra shots for the slashing point guard are always welcome. While Porter dazzled MTSU fans in his first season in Murfreesboro as a spark off the bench capable of getting to the rim in the flash, his reputation for scoring came more from his prowess with the ball in his hands than from beyond the arc. McDevitt points out, however, that Porter's 32.8 shooting percentage (21-for-64) beyond the arc doesn't take into account his improvement after joining MTSU from Tyler Junior College in 2022.
While his nonconference numbers beyond the arc (7-for-27, 25.9 percent) showed Porter was still adjusting to the speed of the game at the college level, his CUSA numbers (14-for-37, 37.8 percent) demonstrate that Porter was a player who gelled as the season went on in 2023, ultimately finishing the conference season averaging 5.9 points per game in just 15.4 minutes played.
It was a fast start off the bench in Murfreesboro for the junior college transfer, who came to MTSU with a reputation for putting the ball in the basket, finishing in the top 10 in scoring nationally with 21.4 points per game as a freshman at Tyler.
Porter said MTSU stuck out early in the recruiting process from the Texas school.
"Middle Tennessee was a more consistent school that was talking to me a lot, checking up on me, making sure I was always good," said Porter. "It wasn't forcing things like a lot of coaches."
The junior college stop was a necessity for Porter, who graduated from Cypress Ridge High School in 2020, where the COVID-19 pandemic limited the rush of recruiting that occurs after the conclusion of the regular season in college basketball. While Porter had some Division I interest, none were ready to take him, so the junior college grind was the more appealing option.
The scoring came naturally to Porter, something his coaches at Tyler wanted after seeing his high school tape. But the focus on developing his point guard skills at the time kept the young guard busy.
"They wanted me to show D-1 coaches that I could be a point guard too," Porter said, mentioning he played mostly at the two-guard spot growing up in Houston. "So, I stayed in the gym a lot to get to where I am today."
His success scoring for the Apaches, plus his hyper athleticism as a defender, made him a good fit for the system the Blue Raiders run, McDevitt said.
"We really just like how his athleticism and his speed, and how with that he could really guard the ball," McDevitt said. "You think about our defensive style. It's a pressure system, everything falls in place behind that, but you got to be able to have guys that can pressure the ball and we really liked that about him, and how he can put pressure on the rim on the offensive end, in the open floor, particularly."
Those skillsets popped for McDevitt's staff in Porter's first year, but so did the quiet leadership of the guard, which ultimately earned him the respect of his teammates.
"He's earned the guys' ear," McDevitt said. "He has their respect because of the way he handles his business. Guys see that, they see who in their teammates they can count on."
Day after day, McDevitt said, Porter does all the small things right. He's never late for team meetings or practices, he doesn't skip class, and has the good grades that attendance rewards. He works hard in the weight room, never taking days off.
The work has earned him the respect, of not only his teammates, but the athletic department as a whole, with his selection to the CUSA Student Athlete Advisory Committee as MTSU's male athlete representative this fall. On the court, Porter is focused on improving his assist numbers in Year Two, developing that team control as a point guard, while keeping the work going on the offensive end.
The results of that work will come in time, however. For now, Porter is excited for MTSU's upcoming trip to Italy, and all the memories his teammates will make in Rome, Florence and Milan.
"I have never been out of the country," Porter said with a smile. "It'll be a tremendous opportunity, playing some teams overseas to see how we are coming along as a team and gaining added experience."
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