The Nathan Hale senior is the first boy from Washington to make the team since 2011.
The day before he plays in one of the highest-profile games of the season, Nathan Hale’s Michael Porter Jr. was named to the McDonald’s All-American team.
Porter, a 6-foot-9 senior who has signed with Washington, was named to the West squad. He’s the only player from the state, boys or girls, to earn the honor. He’s the first boy from Washington to make the team since Kentwood’s Joshua Smith in 2010. Anna Wilson of Bellevue (sister of Seahawks QB Russell Wilson) was named to the team in 2016.
Porter is the No. 2 player in the nation for the Class of 2017, according to ESPN. He’s averaging 36.2 points per game and 16.3 rebounds for the Raiders, who are ranked No. 1 in the nation according to Maxpreps.com. The Raiders are 12-0.
Last season, Porter and his younger brother Jontay led Tolton Catholic High of Columbia, Mo., to the Class 3 MSHSAA state championship. The family moved to Seattle when Michael Porter Sr. landed an assistant coaching job at Washington.
Porter and the rest of the Raiders will play in the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., against perennial prep school power Oak Hill Academy from Mouth of Wilson, Virg. The latest national rankings from USA Today has Oak Hill as No. 7 and Nathan Hale at No. 8. The 10 a.m. game will be broadcast on ESPNU.