COLUMBIA, Mo. _ Michael Porter Sr. has accepted a position on Cuonzo Martin's basketball coaching staff at Missouri, Porter confirmed Thursday. He has not signed a contract as of Thursday night but has agreed to terms of an agreement with Martin to join the staff.
Porter spent the 2016-17 season as one of Lorenzo Romar's assistant coaches at the University of Washington. Romar was fired last Friday and Porter was not retained on staff by new coach Mike Hopkins. Porter was on the Missouri women's basketball coaching staff from 2010-16.
It was an eventful day for the Porter family. Also on Thursday, Washington released basketball recruit Michael Porter Jr. from his national letter of intent, UW athletics spokesperson Ashley Walker confirmed in an email.
That means Porter is free to choose another college to attend in the fall. Porter, who lived in Columbia from 2010-16, will consider signing with Missouri, he said on a conference call Wednesday.
"To be able to go back (to Columbia), I know those Mizzou fans are hungry _ and I've been shown a lot of love from Mizzou fans," he said. "It could be something real, real special just to come home and do my thing there, it would special."
In his only season in Seattle, Porter Jr. led Nathan Hale to the No. 1 ranking in USA Today's Super 25 and averaged 36.2 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3.2 steals and 2.7 blocks per game.
He's the third player with roots in the state of Missouri to win the Gatorade Player of the Year award since 2011, following St. Louis natives and former Chaminade stars Bradley Beal and Jayson Tatum, the winners in 2011 and 2016.
Martin had not announced any staff hires as of Thursday. Illinois assistant Jamall Walker is reportedly off the market. Walker, a former player at SLU and Illinois' link to East St. Louis recruit Jeremiah Tilmon, reached an agreement to stay on the staff of new Illinois coach Brad Underwood, IlliniInquirer.com reported Thursday.
