Michael Porter Jr. opens up about his personal struggles: "Women has always been my vice"
Michael Porter Jr. won an NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets in 2023, and last season, he had a strong campaign where he averaged 18.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. However, while MPJ has had success on the court and is probably at his healthiest since his early career injuries, he has been struggling with personal demons off the court.
During a recent episode of his "Curious Mike" podcast, the Brooklyn Nets forward admitted that his relationship with God has been astray for the last two to three years, and that he has fallen prey to what he called "the constant pull of the flesh."
"Everybody has different vices. Everybody has different things that they struggle with. That can go with people who struggle from alcohol, people that struggle with drugs. You know, for example, my brother struggled with gambling. My vice has always come in the form of women. And when I'm far from God, and I'm not in my word, I'm not praying, I'm not prioritizing Him, like that seems to be the place that the devil gets me, is in the space of women," said Michael.
Women are MPJ's kryptonite?
Porter Jr. did not expound on his statement, but if we take it as he said, it seems like he's trying to say that he is "fond" of women. In fairness, MPJ does not have a reputation for being a womanizer, although he has been linked to several women during his NBA career.
The last time we heard of his love life, Michael was said to be dating model and influencer Kelsey Calimine, whom he was seen with watch-shopping at the largest Rolex boutique in North America on Rodeo Drive, Beverley Hills. Previously, Porter Jr. was linked to former Disney Channel actress Madison Pettis and "Bachelor" reality show runner-up Madison Prewett.
While those are his publicized romances, we don't know the in-betweens, the befores, and afters that MPJ possibly had with other women. Regardless of the number of women that he's dated or, as Michael said, slept with, it's the reason why he remains unmarried at 27.
"I got two younger brothers that are married. I got two older sisters that are married. I'm the only one that's not married. And I feel that God kind of gives you what you're prepared to handle. And so far in my life, like a good woman, I don't think I'm ready to handle that because I'm all over the place. Sometimes I'm good and sometimes I'm not," added Porter Jr.The reason why he is not yet married
Born and raised in a Christian household, Porter Jr. has always talked about his faith in many interviews. Aside from basketball, his relationship with God was his refuge when his family dealt with a crisis last year when his younger brother Coban was sentenced to six years in jail for a drunken driving crash that killed a woman, and another younger brother Jontay pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a gambling scandal and is awaiting sentencing.
However, as Michael confessed, keeping that faith strong has been a struggle in the last couple of years because of the temptation of women.
"My brother Jontay, he didn't struggle with that vice. I didn't struggle with gambling addiction. I never struggle with that vice. God gave me a lot of money cuz he figured I could handle it and not lose myself in that area. And maybe Jontae, he was not blessed with tons of money because he struggled with that area of the idolization of money. I have not been blessed with a wife because maybe I am not prepared to handle that because of my struggles," he continued.
To his credit, MPJ has not been accused by any of his ex-girlfriends of cheating or philandering. Maybe he is indeed a womanizer, but it hasn't been publicized. Or maybe Michael's moral standards are simply too high because he is a devout Christian.
Regardless, Porter Jr. said he recently went to Costa Rica to rekindle his relationship with God. Hopefully, a more focused MPJ can deliver what is expected of him in Brooklyn.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
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