By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Greek club PAOK Mateco made a surprising signing late in the season, adding former NBA player Kevin Porter Jr. to its ranks.
The former 30th NBA draft pick, who played 196 regular season games for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Houston Rockets, made his debut in a losing effort against Lavrio, scoring 14 points on 5/14 shooting.
“It was good, honestly. I didn’t play up to my level, of course. I had a slow start, but playing with this group of guys, they made sure that I stayed positive. The chemistry on this team is beautiful. It wasn’t down. It was always joyful out there. I haven’t been on the court like that and played regulation in a long time. So, it’s good to have a group of guys like that to lift me up when I started off slow. It was dope,” Porter said.
After hitting just one free throw in the first half, Porter Jr. improved drastically after the break and showed a glimpse of his attacking prowess.
“I came into the game wanting to adjust to this style of play, get to know my guys, and build chemistry. I didn’t really expect much from myself since it’s been so long. But I felt really good in the second half,” he admitted.
He’ll obviously need some time to adjust after playing his first competitive game in a year.
“It’s my first time in this type of league, and it’s a smaller court with a different defensive and offensive style.”
Despite not having had the greatest of starts, the former Cavs and Rockets player doesn’t rule out returning to Greece in the future.
“I’ve only been here five days and feel at home. It’s how the team welcomed me and the fans who were at the airport, and I met them every day. I don’t know exactly what I will do in the future, but I will return here again,” the 23-year-old concluded.