Michael Porter Jr Criticized After Bold WNBA Comment With Lonzo Ball

Lonzo Ball and Michael Porter Jr stepped into familiar debate territory when their podcast conversation turned toward whether elite male teenagers could dominate in the WNBA. The topic has floated around basketball circles for years, but their comments brought fresh attention because both players described their younger selves as dominant forces against professional women’s players.

Ball started it when MPJ mentioned that Patrick Beverley once said a WNBA team could beat a group of NBA bench players, Sporting News reports. That idea immediately set Ball off.

“You know what’s crazy? Pat Bev said that a WNBA team could beat the bench players of an NBA team,” Porter said while setting up the conversation.

Ball gave a long answer. “I’m going to give you the most honest answer, right now. MPJ feels the same way. I don’t know if he said this or not but I’m going to speak my peace,” Ball said. “I mean this as respectfully as possible but 9th grade Lonzo Ball in the WNBA is going crazy.” He continued by explaining his early size and athleticism. “In 9th grade I was over six feet and I’m dunking. I’m coming through the lane. No girl in the WNBA is doing that. I’m going back door, throw it up. I’m looking like Jordan out there.”

Porter then matched Ball’s claim with one of his own. “I’m probably going with 8th grade because I have real experience doing this,” he said. He referenced playing against his sisters at Missouri, plus future WNBA players. “They had me playing on the scout team and they had a few WNBA players on their team like Sophie Cunningham and a couple others. I was in the 7th or 8th grade going crazy. So, I have real life experience.”

Porter ended the segment by insisting the comparison should not be a debate. “It is just a difference and I wish this would stop being a conversation because it should be common sense,” he said. “I appreciate common sense. I feel sometimes that’s lost a little bit.”

Online Discussion Questions MPJ’s Approach

Their conversation gained immediate traction online. Many people questioned why Porter chose to frame the comparison in a way that highlighted his strength over WNBA players, especially after saying he wanted the discussion to end. Some wondered who he helps by making this point and noted how direct the comments sounded compared to other NBA players who usually avoid the topic.

Someone commented on the X post featuring the debate and wrote, “Of all the things they could talk about why are NBA former & present players always on podcast trying to compete with women 🥴🥴. It’s weird. No other male professional athletes sit on podcast trashing their female counterparts. NBA players been weird & are getting weirder.”

Others pointed out that Ball and Porter were two of the top high school recruits in the country, which gave their teenage years a very different context. They grew early, attracted national attention before they reached high school graduation, and played in environments filled with future high-major and professional talent. People online acknowledged that their experiences might give them confidence in their youth basketball stories, yet the way they discussed the WNBA drew criticism.

The reaction also tied into the larger conversation that tends to surface whenever male athletes describe how they would perform against elite women’s players. Some highlighted the difference between describing personal development and describing it at the expense of another league. That distinction appeared to fuel much of the scrutiny around Porter’s “common sense” comment.

Porter’s Summer of Viral Quotes Continues

Porter has delivered headline-friendly sound bites for months. Online discussions revisited his recent streak of candid comments, including his remarks about splitting rent with a former girlfriend, using Uber as his primary transportation in New York, and referencing personalities like Andrew Tate. People noted that Porter often says exactly what he thinks and rarely filters his words, which added another layer to why this latest exchange generated strong reactions.

Ball also continues to build momentum through his broadcast appearances while the NBA world follows his recovery progress. His willingness to jump fully into the conversation gave the clip additional traction across social platforms.

Both players spoke confidently about their teenage years, yet the reaction centered less on whether they believed their own stories and more on how the conversation sidelined the WNBA in the process. As discussions continued to spread, the clip remained one of the most talked-about moments of the week.

Burtland Dixon Burtland Dixon is a sports journalist covering the NBA and athlete culture for Heavy.com. A former Division II athlete turned journalist, he offers a unique blend of locker room perspective and storytelling expertise. He has more than eight years of experience in digital media and previously served as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with additional bylines at Idolator, Trend Chaser, and Buzznet. Burtland is based between California and New York. More about Burtland Dixon