Michael Porter Jr. to have back surgery, likely out for rest of season

— -- Missouri?freshman forward Michael Porter Jr. will have back surgery and is likely to miss the rest of the season, the school announced Tuesday.

Missouri said Porter will have a microdiscectomy of his L3-L4 spinal disks. The school said that the projected recovery time is three to four months and that Porter is expected to make a complete recovery.

"I really appreciate the support of my family & program as I begin this process," Porter said in a statement. "I'm thankful for the kind words & messages I've received from fans. Those mean a lot to me. I cannot wait to be completely healthy and playing the game I love, once again."

The 6-foot-10 Porter left Missouri's season opener two minutes into the game because of the injury on Nov. 10 against Iowa State. He has missed three consecutive games.

Porter, who was ranked No. 2 in ESPN's Top 100 after Duke's Marvin Bagley III reclassified into the Class of 2017, is considered a high lottery pick by NBA executives.

ESPN Insider Jeff Goodman contributed to this report.