Bobby Portis: From Razorback Star to NBA Champion

Bobby Portis Jr., born on February 10, 1995, is an American professional basketball player currently with the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before his successful NBA career, Portis made a name for himself as a standout college basketball player for the Arkansas Razorbacks. His time in Arkansas saw him develop into a consensus second-team All-American and set the stage for his transition to the professional ranks.

Early Life and High School Career

Portis's basketball journey began at Hall High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he quickly established himself as a highly decorated player. His outstanding performance earned him McDonald's and Parade All-American honors. In 2013, he was named Mr. Basketball of Arkansas, marking him as the state's top player.

Arrival at Arkansas: Freshman Year Impact

Portis joined the Arkansas Razorbacks, making an immediate impact as a freshman. He became just the sixth Arkansas player to earn All-SEC (second team) honors as a freshman. He was also named to the SEC All-Freshman team and USBWA All-District VII team. He was a finalist for the Kyle Macy National Freshman of the Year. Starting all 34 games, he quickly became a key player. He was the only player to start all 34 games. He finished second on the team in scoring (12.3 points per game) and led in rebounding (6.8 rebounds per game), which also ranked seventh in the SEC.

During his freshman year, Portis broke the Arkansas freshman record with 230 rebounds. He also broke the freshman single-game scoring record with 35 points in a win over Alabama (Feb. 5), including 29 of the team’s first 35. He hit 14-of-17 from the field with nine rebounds and six blocks. His 14 made field goals vs. Alabama tied the second-most in an SEC game at Arkansas, while the six blocks tied for the fifth-most. He was a three-time SEC Freshman of the Week, equaling a league-high and a program record. He closed the season with two straight double-doubles to finish with a team-best five. Reaching double figures 23 times, highlighted by doing so in a single half in 12 games (9 second half). He led the team in scoring seven times, on the glass in a team-high 16 games and both in the same contest on five occasions. He grabbed a team-best 86 offensive rebounds, including at least one in 31 of 34 games. He was the only freshman in the nation with 50 blocks and 50 assists, finishing sixth in the SEC in rejections (1.6 per game). 35 of his 54 shots were blocked in SEC action, good for the sixth-best total in league play at Arkansas. He was second on the team with 35 steals and fifth with 50 assists. He went for double figure points in nine straight non-conference games - the longest streak by a Razorback that season - while adding double-doubles against UT Martin (Dec. 19) and UTSA (Jan. 4). The only double-double in SEC play came in a win over Kentucky (Jan.

Sophomore Surge: Dominance in the SEC

As a sophomore, Portis elevated his game to new heights, solidifying his status as one of the nation's top players. He was named to the preseason All-SEC team and led the Razorbacks to a top 25 ranking.

Read also: Utah State career of Bobby Wagner

During his second and final season, Portis averaged 17.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 1.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He was named one of 20 finalists for the John R. Wooden Award. On March 10, 2015, Portis was selected as the SEC Player of the Year by the league's coaches. This marks the first time an Arkansas Razorback was selected since Corliss Williamson won the award back-to-back during the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons.

Over his two seasons as a Razorback, Portis has put his name in the conversation with some of Arkansas’ elite players in program history. Portis is the first player in program history with 1,000 points and 500 rebounds as a sophomore. The only sophomore on the Wooden Award Final 15 list, Portis became the focal point of Arkansas’ offense and the team leader on and off the court. Taking on a league full of future NBA first round draft picks and some of the best big men in the country, Portis posted a double-double or 20-point game against 12 of the 13 SEC members in the regular season. Below is Portis’ checklist against SEC foes. Kentucky is the only opponent Portis didn’t do either, as he finished the Feb. 28 meeting in Lexington with 15 points and eight rebounds.

Accolades and Recognition

Portis received numerous accolades during his time at Arkansas, including:

CBS Sports National Player of the Week (Jan.)
SEC Player of the Week (Jan. 12 & Feb.)
NCAA.com Player of the Week (Feb.)
Naismith Trophy Player of the Week (Feb.)

College Statistics Overview

Across 70 games (all starts) in two seasons at Arkansas, he averaged 15.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 52.6% from the field. In the 2014-15 season, as a sophomore (final college season), he ranked among SEC leaders in scoring (second with 17.5 ppg), rebounding (fourth with 8.9) and FG pct.

NBA Draft and Early Career

Portis's impressive college career led to him being selected by the Chicago Bulls with the 22nd overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft.

Read also: State College Connection

Milwaukee Bucks: A New Chapter

On November 26, 2020, Portis signed with the Milwaukee Bucks.

2020-2021 Season

On April 29, 2021, Portis scored 10 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and recorded a career-high 4 steals in a 143-136 overtime loss to the Houston Rockets. Portis finished the regular season with the third highest three-point percentage in the NBA at 47.1%, behind Joe Harris (47.5%) and Marcus Morris Sr. During the 2021 NBA playoffs, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on June 27, 2021, facing the Atlanta Hawks, Portis played an important role for the Bucks scoring 15 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, and adding 2 steals in a 113-102 road win. On July 1, 2021, Portis had his first career playoff start against Atlanta in the Eastern Conference Finals in place of an injured Giannis Antetokounmpo.

2021-2022 Season

On June 29, 2022, Portis exercised the second-year player option on his existing contract, becoming an unrestricted free agent. One day later, Portis announced he had re-signed with the Bucks on a four-year contract worth $49 million. This contract was finalized at the beginning of the NBA's free-agency period on July 6.

2022-2023 Season

On December 3, 2022, Portis scored a game-leading 20 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and recorded a season-high 7 assists during a 105-96 win over the Charlotte Hornets. On January 25, 2023, it was announced Portis suffered MCL and ankle injuries during a win over the Detroit Pistons, and would be out for at least two weeks. On March 9, Portis scored a season-high 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a 118-113 win over the Brooklyn Nets. On April 10, Portis took home his first NBA Player of the Week honor in his career.

2024-2025 Season

On February 20, 2025, Portis was suspended for 25 games for testing positive for the banned substance Tramadol. On April 8, in his first game back from the suspension, Portis played a key part in a come-from-behind win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, in which Milwaukee had trailed by 24 points in the 4th quarter, scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. He made 49 total appearance (seven starts) for Milwaukee during the 2024-25 NBA season, averaging 13.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.

2023-24 Season

Was once again one of the NBA’s top players off the bench in his fourth season with the Bucks, appearing in all 82 games (4 starts) and averaging 13.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 24.5 minutes per game. He shot 50.8% from the field, 40.7% from three and 79.0% from the free-throw line. Just the 2nd time in his career shooting better than 50% overall and 40% from three. Among players off the bench this season, ranked 1st in double-doubles (16), 1st in total rebounds (573), 2nd in total points (1,052), 4th in ppg (13.5), 2nd in rpg (7.3) and 3rd in FG% (.501). Was even better after the All-Star break, averaging 16.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game while shooting 53.3% overall and 43.8% from three while scoring in double figures in 22 of his 26 games. He scored 10+ points 60 times, 20+ points 14 times, 30+ points 3 times. Hauled in 10+ rebounds 18 times. Tallied 17 double-doubles. Scored 30 points and had a career-high 5 steals on April 10 vs. ORL. Scored a season-high-tying 31 points (13-20 FG, 5-5 3FG) and hauled in 10 rebounds on March 17 vs. PHX. Scored in double figures in 15 consecutive games from Feb. 8-March 12, marking the 3rd-longest streak of his career. Scored 28 points and hauled in a season-high 16 rebounds on March 4 vs. LAC. Scored 27 points (11-20 FG, 4-7 3FG) and had 3 steals in a season-high 36 minutes in his 1st start of the season on Feb. 4 at UTA. Made a season-high 5 threes and went 11-18 from the field to score 28 points with 12 rebounds on Jan. 11 vs. BOS. Scored a season-high-tying 31 points (11-18 FG, 4-7 3FG), the most points he’s scored as a Buck, and hauled in a then-season-best 12 rebounds in a win over the Pistons on Dec. 16. Matched his career-high of 3 blocks and scored 12 points on Nov. 26 vs.

International Career

Portis was a member of the United States national team that competed in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup as a reserve.

Personal Life and Off-Court Activities

Portis has spoken about his faith, stating, "I talked to God a lot since I was a young child. I followed the path that He lays, and He has blessed me tremendously and helped me get here."

He has also established "The Bobby Portis Foundation."

On November 4, 2024, Portis' house was burglarized while he was playing in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, one of a series of thefts targeting prominent athletes. Nearly $1.5 million worth of designer bags, jewelry, and cash was stolen, along with his 2021 championship ring.

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