NBA Star Michael Porter Jr. Admits He Still Splits Rent With Ex-Girlfriend—Despite Signing $200 Million Contract Extension

Former Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr. has revealed a unique strategy for avoiding getting involved with a potential gold digger: insisting a romantic partner pay their fair share of the rent, even though he earns around $38 million a year.

Porter, 27, opened up about his fears about dating women with ill "intentions" during a recent appearance on "Respectfully The Justin Laboy Show," recalling a past relationship when he used a rental share as a means of figuring out if his partner was in the romance for the right reasons.

Podcast host Justin Laboy seemed flabbergasted by his admission, questioning: "Hold on. I know you not worth $200 million and was splitting rent with your ex-girlfriend."

However, Porter insisted that his heart was in the right place when it came to sharing the monthly cost of the property.

"It’s very hard when you have money, as you know, to tell a woman's intentions … I had never bought a girl expensive gifts before this last girl and it was cool to do," he said. "But I still wanted to know that she was with me for the right reasons.

"Every dude in this particular person's past had money. So I never wanted to feel like a girl was just with me because of what I have and what I could give her."

The basketball pro, who signed a $200 million five-year contract extension with the Nuggets in 2021, before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in June of this year, explained that he encouraged his partner—who he did not name—to sign a lease on an apartment that he knew was out of her price range, adding that he vowed to cover half of the cost.

"My mindset was like, ‘OK, I still want to know she’s in this for the right reasons,'" he shared.

As it turns out, the relationship did not last the length of the one-year lease but Porter has continued to pay his portion of her rent, a commitment that he is now questioning.

"Do I keep helping her out or is it cooked?" he asked, noting that the romance had ended around five or six months in. "I don't blame her because she went into that apartment not being able to afford it, and I gave her my word."

Laboy questioned why the NBA star doesn't simply give his former partner a lump sum to cover his portion of her rent for the rest of her lease, prompting Porter to admit that his continued payment plan ensures she continues to "act right month to month."

"She needs to act right month to month ... I'm just saying," he continued, before noting that he wants to ensure she doesn't take advantage of him—specifically if she becomes involved with another person who is more than capable of helping her out financially.

"So, if I'm paying the remaining months … and I see she's wilding. Like, bro, it's going to be hard to continue that agreement," he said. "That's going to be tough because if you're out here wilding, get that next dude to pay that rent."

As for why he didn't move in with his partner, Porter explained that he doesn't want to live with a woman until he is married.

By the time he entered the relationship with the anonymous woman, the athlete had already set himself up in a stunning condo in downtown Denver, which he purchased for $4.5 million in August 2021.

Located in the Four Seasons Residences, the property boasts four bedrooms and is located just a 10-minute walk from the Nuggets' stadium, making it ideal for his commute.

The home was initially listed in late 2019 for $5 million and was marketed as "the personal residence of one of the world’s most revered masters of public architecture," having previously been owned by architect Curtis Fentress.

Featured in Architectural Digest in 2016, the art-filled apartment is said to have some of the best views in the city.

However, now that Porter has moved to the New York-based team, it's unclear whether he plans to keep the property in his portfolio—or whether he will invest in a dwelling closer to the Nets' home stadium at the Barclay Center.

Even if he continues to pay for a portion of his former partner's rent, Porter will have plenty of cash to play with should he decide to search for a Brooklyn home of his own.

When he was traded to the Nets earlier this year, the team picked up the final two years of his contract, which will see him earn $38.3 million for the 2025/2026 season, then $40.8 million the following year.