Former Shocker Craig Porter Jr. adds NBA Summer League title with Cavs to collection
Craig Porter Jr. takes a great deal of pride in playing basketball what he considers the right way — the winning way.
His trophy case can back up that statement, as the former Wichita State point guard added another championship to his collection on Monday night: He helped the Cleveland Cavaliers capture the 2023 NBA Summer League title in a 99-78 win over the Houston Rockets at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Porter has now won titles on his last three teams, helping Vincennes University win the 2019 NJCAA national championship, serving as a reserve guard for the Shockers during their 2021 run to the American Athletic Conference title, then blossoming in his first professional experience to help the Cavs finish off an undefeated run in Vegas to collect another championship ring.
After not hearing his name called in the 2023 NBA Draft, Porter is poised to become the next undrafted Shocker point guard to crack the NBA after signing a two-way contract with the Cavaliers and impressing in Vegas.
Porter averaged 12 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 0.8 blocks and 0.8 steals while shooting 47.6% from the field in six games for Cleveland’s Summer League team. After being promoted to the starting lineup for the final three games, the Terre Haute, Indiana, native averaged 14 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals. He nearly logged a triple-double in the championship win on Monday, finishing with eight points, nine rebounds and eight assists in 30 minutes before being pulled in the double-digit victory.
“The biggest thing that stands out about him is the way he impacts the game in so many ways,” Cavs Summer League coach Mike Gerrity told The Eagle after Porter’s second game. “He can distribute, he can score for himself, he rebounds, he blocks shots, he does a little bit of everything. He’s the quarterback on the floor for us and we want him to run the show and find that balance between being aggressive and getting his teammates involved. And then on defense, we want to see him making things happen, get in passing lanes, get deflections, get those blocked shots and just do the things that he does.”
After grinding in the pre-draft process following his final season at Wichita State and playing extended time in Las Vegas, Porter will finally have some time off to rest. Up next for him will be NBA training camp with the Cavs, which is expected to be in late September.
As a two-way player, Porter has greatly increased his chances to playing for the Cavaliers in the NBA at some point during the upcoming season. He will have a chance to earn a spot in the Cavs’ NBA roster out of the gates, but his contract stipulates he is only allowed to play 50 NBA games before the Cavs have to convert him to a full-time contract.
It’s typical for two-way players to begin the season and play the majority of their season for the team’s G-League affiliate, which in Porter’s case would be the Cleveland Charge.
This story was originally published July 18, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
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