The Denver Nuggets have talked to Michael Porter Jr. after the young NBA forward floated a theory about the coronavirus pandemic during a Snapchat Q&A.
Tim Connolly, the Nuggets’ president of basketball operations, talked to Porter, coach Michael Malone told reporters on Wednesday, according to ESPN.
“I know that Tim Connelly, our front office, has talked to Michael about his comments long before I realized what was said,” Malone said. “So it has been [discussed with] him; he understands the situation. Once again, we as an organization, I’m not going to put a muzzle on anybody.
“If somebody has a strong belief on something, they have the platform and freedom to use that. We will just try to educate guys so that they understand the impact of what they may be saying.”
Malone also said the Porter and other players on the roster were entitled to their own opinions.
“Obviously, I’m not the thought police. I’m not going to tell any of our players what they can and can’t say. All I would say is just be sensitive to the current situation in our country and throughout the world in regards to coronavirus,” he said.
“Michael Porter and any other player on our roster, they’re entitled to their opinions and ability to have free speech, and I will respect that as long as it doesn’t become a distraction. What Michael stated, being around our players this morning at breakfast and practice, has not become a distraction at all.”
Porter said in a Snapchat Q&A that the virus was being used to “control” the population and that the fear of the virus is “overblown,” despite 661,000 people dying across the globe.
According to USA Today, Porter was asked: “Bro, speak on this coronavirus being [overblown] to scare people into being controlled, [I know] you know about all that.”
The 22-year-old former Missouri University student-athlete replied: “That’s facts.”
“Personally, I think the coronavirus is being used obviously for a bigger agenda. It’s being used for population control just in terms of being able to control the masses of people. Because this virus, the whole world is being controlled. You’re required to wear masks and who knows what will happen when this vaccine comes out. You might have to have the vaccine in order to travel, that’d be crazy. I’ve never been vaccinated in my life, I’ve never had any shots or anything like that.
“It could get crazy, but it’s definitely an agenda behind everything that’s going on right now, and all you can do is sit back and watch what’s going on and not get too emotionally involved.
“But it is a serious thing, it’s a real thing, but yeah, this is being overblown.”
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On Porter’s vaccination remark, Missouri University requires new enrollees to comply with the two-dose MMR Immunization Policy or provide proof of being immune to mumps, measles, and rubella. The school says that students who don’t comply with the rule may not register for their second semester. Porter played three games for the Tigers in 2018 before suffering an injury. He then entered the NBA Draft and was later picked by the Nuggets.