National Basketball Association

Washington Wizards' Otto Porter Could Have All-Star Potential

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Washington Wizards small forward, Otto Porter, has the skill-set to become an All-Star quality player in the NBA and could mimic Tayshaun Prince.

Judging players by simply watching them perform – or doing the “eye test” – is frowned upon nowadays.

With thousands of analytics available that tell the entire story, relying on just the eye test to create a perception about a certain player is almost disrespectful to the game itself.

Washington Wizards small forward, Otto Porter, would bomb the eye test – or what some like to call, “the mom test.”

As a slender player who lacks explosion, Porter doesn’t look the part of a star and his game doesn’t reflect it either.

In his three seasons with the Wizards, Porter hasn’t made one highlight on SportsCenter (don’t fact check that).

A casual fan – like your mom – wouldn’t notice how well Porter is actually playing on the court by watching him run on the floor. To some, including Wizards fans, his quiet production is somewhat frustrating.

Porter is entering his contract season and could be due for a life-changing payday relatively soon. His play this upcoming season will determine whether he’s going to be in D.C. long-term or if the team will have to cut ties.

If he continues to improve like he has, Porter has the makings of an All-Star player, at least in terms of production, according to FiveThirtyEight.

This doesn’t mean that Porter will become an All-Star in 2016-17 nor ever, really. That part of the projection doesn’t matter, though.

The All-Star vote is usually determined by popularity.

Diehard NBA fans don’t make up the majority of people who tune into watching the league.

Players who get more exposure on television by appearing frequently on nationally broadcasted games and commercials obviously have a better shot at getting more votes than players who don’t get that recognition.

Washington won’t get much love from national TV and casual fans aren’t even aware of Porter’s existence. All of that shouldn’t impact how the organization feels about Porter, especially if he plays like an All-Star.

Given the quiet nature of Porter’s game, he will never reach the level of stardom of a Carmelo Anthony or Paul George. The best comparison for him, at this point, is Tayshaun Prince.

Prince, who helped lead the Detroit Pistons to an NBA Championship in 2004, averaged close to 15 points and 5 rebounds on 49 percent shooting from the field during his best individual year.

Both Porter and Prince are 6-foot-9, have long wingspans and rarely made replay-worthy plays.

What made Prince stand out was his defense and efficiency. Prince made the All-Defensive Second Team four times. Production wise, he was an All-Star. In reality, he never made an All-Star team.

Porter could end up having a Prince-like career if he continues down the path he’s been on since entering the league in 2013.

Per-36 minutes, Porter averaged 14 points and 6 rebounds last season. He made over 47 percent of his shot attempts and 37 percent of his threes.

Another year of NBA basketball and a full summer of development will only help Porter become a game-changer. Scott Brooks has also talked about wanting to utilize Porter and making sure he realizes his potential in the nation’s capital.

We’ve been indoctrinated to love players who are all about flash and occasional substance. Porter has the latter. So, while he might never make an All-Star team, he does have the tools and skill-set to become an All-Star player in production, just like Prince was in his prime.