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Lonzo ball And Michael Porter Jr. entered familiar debate territory when their podcast conversation turned to whether elite male teenagers could dominate the WNBA. The topic has been circulating in basketball circles for years, but their comments have drawn new attention as both players described themselves as dominant forces against professional players when they were younger.
Ball started when MPJ mentioned that Patrick Beverley once said a WNBA team could beat a group of NBA bench players, Sporting News reports. This idea immediately sparked Ball.
“You know what’s crazy? Pat Bev said a WNBA team could beat a team’s bench players NBA team,” Porter said in 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 that or not, but I’m going to speak my peace,” Ball said. “I mean this as respectfully as possible, but WNBA 9th year Lonzo Ball is going crazy.” He went on to explain his precocious height and athleticism. “In 9th grade, I was over 6 feet tall and I dunk. I cross the lane. No girl in the WNBA does that. I walk in the back door and throw up. I look like Jordan over there.”
Porter then compared Ball’s claim with one of his own. “I’m probably going to 8th grade because I have real experience in this area,” he said. He referenced playing against his sisters at Missouri, as well as future WNBA players. “They had me play on the scout team and they had a few WNBA players on their team like Sophie Cunningham and a few others. I was in 7th or 8th grade and I was going crazy. So I got some real life experience.”
Porter ended the segment by insisting that the comparison shouldn’t be a debate. “It’s just a difference and I wish it would stop being a conversation because it’s common sense,” he said. “I appreciate common sense. Sometimes I feel like we’re losing it a little.”
Online discussion questions MPJ approach
Their conversation immediately gained traction online. Many people wondered why Porter chose to phrase the comparison in a way that highlighted his strength over WNBA players, especially after he said he wanted the discussion to end. Some wondered who he was helping by making this point and noted how blunt the comments seemed compared to other NBA players who generally avoid the topic.
Someone commented on post X introducing the debate and wrote: “Of all the things they could talk about, why are current and former NBA players always on podcasts trying to compete with women 🥴🥴. It’s weird. No other male professional athlete goes on a podcast to trash his female counterparts. NBA players have been weird and 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 up early, gained national attention before graduating from high school, and played in environments filled with future professional and high-level talent. Netizens acknowledged that their experiences could give them confidence in their youth basketball stories, but the way they discussed the WNBA drew criticism.
The reaction also ties into the larger conversation that tends to surface whenever male athletes describe how they would fare against elite female players. Some have pointed out the difference between describing personal development and describing it at the expense of another league. This distinction seems to fuel much of the scrutiny around Porter’s “common sense” comment.
Porter’s Summer of Viral Quotes Continues
Porter has been providing headline-friendly sound bites for months. Online chatter has returned to his recent string of outspoken comments, including his remarks about sharing rent with a former girlfriend, using Uber as his primary mode of transportation in New York, and referencing figures like Andrew Tate. People have noted that Porter often says exactly what he thinks and rarely filters his words, which adds another reason as to why this latest exchange generated strong reactions.
Ball also continues to gain momentum through his television appearances as the NBA world follows his recovery progress. Her willingness to fully jump into the conversation gave the clip additional traction on social platforms.
Both players spoke confidently about their teenage years, but the reaction focused 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 who covers 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 over eight years of experience in digital media and previously served as Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with additional bylines at Idolator, Trend Chaser and Buzznet. Burtland is based between California and New York. Instagram: @showmi_more Learn more about Burtland Dixon
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