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If given the chance Marquis Haynes Jersey , Michael Porter Jr. would have a simple question for those who touted him as the best NBA prospect in this draft class a year ago and no longer do today.

Why?

The way he sees it, Porter was widely considered the best high-schooler in the country 12 months ago – even though he had back issues that led to him having surgery last fall and basically robbed him of his only college season at Missouri. So now, he thinks it’s logical that if his back is better, his stock should be even higher as well.

”I’m still the best player,” Porter said.

And that’s his message at the NBA Draft Combine, going on this week in Chicago. The small forward went through the anthropometric testing – height, weight, wingspan, body fat percentage and so on – but isn’t partaking in on-court matters this week, opting instead to save his statements there until he gets workouts with teams over the coming weeks.

”I know without a doubt,” Porter said. ”I’ve played against all these guys. They’re all great players. But I’m the best player in this draft and I can’t wait to show what I’m capable of.”

The players who are likely to be taken at the very top of next month’s draft aren’t participating in the combine. Arizona’s Deandre Ayton declined an invitation, Slovenian standout Luka Doncic’s season in Europe isn’t in Chicago – his European season isn’t over – and Duke’s Marvin Bagley III only took part in interviews with some teams.

That doesn’t mean intrigue is lacking at this gathering of hopefuls.

Texas’ Mo Bamba, he of the 7-foot-10 wingspan , said he believes he merits consideration from Phoenix for the No. 1 overall pick. Billy Preston , who left Kansas in November under the cloud of an NCAA investigation and briefly played in Europe, is in Chicago and insisting that he’s ready mentally and physically for the NBA life. Brian Bowen Kevin White Jersey , who hasn’t played a college game yet – he left Louisville for South Carolina after it became known he was part of the FBI’s probe into college basketball and could only practice with the Gamecocks after enrolling there – is participating as well.

But there might not be a player in Chicago with more intrigue around him right now than Porter, who went from can’t-miss to couldn’t-play.

”Mike is a great player,” said Bruce Brown Jr., a guard who’s leaving Miami after two seasons for the NBA. ”I know him personally. We’re cool as friends. I think he can show the world what he is capable of and what I know he’s capable of.”

Porter is among the 25 or so Chicago invitees who are skipping the 5-on-5 portions of the combine. That’s not a surprise – the trend in recent years has been for players who are likely to be taken with the highest picks to skip some or all of the combine events – but a case could be argued that Porter could have used some game time.

He played in three games at Missouri, one of those for only two minutes before his back surgery on Nov. 21. He returned for two NCAA Tournament games.

Here’s how little Porter played last season: There were 3,505 players in Division I who scored more points than he did in his only college campaign. Porter shot 10 for 30 at Missouri, scoring 30 points in 53 minutes.

Obviously, those aren’t best-player numbers. Everything else on his resume suggests otherwise – 36.2 points and 13.6 rebounds per game as a senior in high school, MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game, and was both the Naismith and Gatorade Boys High School National Player of the Year awards. He was the fifth player to sweep those, joining Alonzo Mourning, Dwight Howard, Chris Webber and LeBron James.

Big-time company.

”In the workouts, I won’t be holding back at all,” Porter said.

He’s interviewing with a slew of teams this week – New York, Dallas Joe Schobert Jersey , Philadelphia, Phoenix, Atlanta, Cleveland, Memphis, Houston and the Los Angeles Clippers so far, with Sacramento, Charlotte, Oklahoma City and Boston still to go. He knows that the Bulls fans are letting anyone who will listen on Twitter know they want him, and said he was impressed how New York’s braintrust knew many things about him.

And make no mistake: He says he is raring to play again.

”I was hoping to turn college basketball upside down, just like a lot of these players,” Porter said. ”But this is just a step in my process. It’s a little different, but I’m more ready than ever. I’ve been dreaming about this NBA stuff for so long. I feel like I’m ready.”

Javier Baez flashed a little baserunning moxie. It paid off and Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon loved it.

Baez stole home and the Willson Contreras hit a tie-breaking homer to lead the Cubs past the Detroit Tigers 5-2 on Wednesday for their sixth straight victory.

“Who’s more exciting to watch than he,” Maddon said of Baez. “He is, I’d say, in that top-10 kind of part of the Rat Pack from back in the day. He’s one of those guys.”

“He sashayed in with Sinatra. That’s how he plays baseball.”

Baez capped an eventful trip around the bases by stealing home in the fourth to tie it at 2. He singled to lead off the inning William Perry Jersey , then Detroit starter Francisco Liriano picked him off first base. But first baseman John Hicks‘ throw to second sailed into left field and Baez advanced to third.

Baez sprinted home when Liriano tried pick off Addison Russell at first. Hicks’ throw to catcher James McCann was quick and accurate, but Baez slid head-first and touched the plate before McCann could tag him.

“As soon as I got to third, I was just ready from the first pitch,” Baez said. “I just went for it.

“I used to slide head-first (as a kid) and get stuck and not go through the bag or whatever,” Baez added. “I was kind of worried about it because I didn’t want to do the scorpion.”

But instead of ending up with his tail in the air, Baez slid just outside of the plate and reached in.

“It was a close play, obviously,” McCann said. “He put a swim move on me”

Conditions at Wrigley Field favored the longball, with a game-time temperature of 92 degrees, a heat index of 102 and the wind blowing out. Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire left the dugout midway through the game with what bench coach Steve Liddle called “being overheated.”

David Bote hit his first homer while Detroit got solo shots from Nick Castellanos and Hicks, but was swept by the Cubs in the two-game interleague set and has dropped 13 of 15.

Bote, playing third in place of injured Kris Bryant, smacked his drive into the batter’s eye shrubs in straight-away center on the first pitch he faced in the second to tie it at 1 in the second.

Contreras homered in the sixth to put the Cubs ahead 3-2 and then added a two-run double in the seventh.

Chicago starter Jose Quintana (7-6) allowed two runs on five hits through six innings to win for the first time since May 31. Liriano (3-5) permitted three runs on five hits and five walks in his third outing -and third loss – since returning from the disabled list.

“We’ve got to keep playing, keep grinding, and hopefully things are going to turn around for us,” Liriano said.

Brandon Morrow pitched the ninth for his 19th save in 20 chances.

Castellanos hit his 14th homer Jabaal Sheard Jersey , and third in five games, to left in the first to put Detroit ahead 1-0. In each game of the Cubs’ winning streak, the opponent has scored first.

Hicks’ shot in the third landed halfway up the left-center bleachers and put the Tigers back in front, 2-1.

BOTE BIT

Bote played his 15th game in the majors and entered hitting .241. The 25-year-old was recalled from Triple-A Iowa for the third time this season on June 26.

ROSTER MOVE:

The Cubs recalled C/INF Victor Caratini from Triple-A Iowa and designated C Chris Gimenez for assignment. Caratini started at first base on Wednesday as Anthony Rizzo didn’t enter the game until he pinch hit in the sixth.

Caratini was on the Cubs’ opening day roster, then was sent to the minors on May 25 for more playing time. With Iowa, the 24-year-old batted .313 with four home runs and 22 RBIs in 32 games. He’s a switch-hitter who can play the infield and catch.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: Although he was eligible to come off the disabled list on Tuesday, the earliest INF/OF Bryant (left shoulder inflammation) will return is Friday. Maddon said Bryant was still feeling some soreness. . Maddon said RHP Yu Darvish (right triceps inflammation, right elbow impingement/inflammation) is feeling better, but there’s no timetable for him to resume throwing. Darvish got a fresh opinion and a cortisone shot from Dr. Keith Meister last Friday in Texas after suffering pain in a bullpen session in Los Angeles on Thursday. “We want to develop a plan to get him back out there as soon as possible,” Maddon said.

UP NEXT:

Tigers: LHP Matthew Boyd (4-6, 4.18) faces the Rangers RHP Yovani Gallardo (2-0, 9.00) on Thursday as Detroit opens a four-game home series versus Texas.

Cubs: Following a day off on Thursday, Chicago sends LHP Mike Montgomery (3-2, 3.55) to the mound against RHP Tyler Mahle (6-6, 3.83) to open a three-game set against the Reds at Wrigley Field.

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