Actress Madison Pettis stirred fresh attention after telling a podcast she broke up with her former boyfriend, NBA forward Michael Porter Jr., before he reached the league because “he was a psychopath.” The remark, made during a recent episode of the “In Your Dreams With Owen Thiele” podcast, revisits a high‑profile past relationship and comes amid renewed scrutiny of Porter’s public comments on dating.

What Pettis said—and when

On the podcast, Pettis, who began her career on the Disney Channel, said she is a basketball fan and was asked whether she would date an NBA player. She answered that she once dated a man who is now in the NBA and explained, “I broke up with him before he was in the league because he was a psychopath.”

Pettis did not name Michael Porter Jr. on the show, but the two dated publicly from 2016–2017, before Porter was drafted in 2018. Us Weekly and other outlets have linked her comments to Porter; outlets also note they reached out to Porter for comment.

Porter’s recent profile

Porter, 27, has been a frequent subject of headlines for remarks about relationships and dating. Coverage has highlighted previous podcast comments in which he discussed testing partners’ intentions, mentioned controversial figures like Andrew Tate and said he prefers partners who haven’t dated other NBA players. His career milestones—being drafted, winning a championship with the Denver Nuggets in 2023 and later being traded to the Brooklyn Nets—have kept him in the public eye alongside those remarks.

Why this matters now

The exchange matters for two reasons: it brings a former relationship back into the spotlight at a time when athlete conduct and public commentary remain under close watch, and it frames how public figures discuss former partners. Pettis’s blunt phrasing—calling an ex a “psychopath”—is likely to amplify conversation on social media and in entertainment outlets, especially because Porter’s own past comments have already generated debate.

Industry and fan reaction

Media outlets and fans have circulated Pettis’s podcast clip, with coverage noting both her entertainment background and Porter’s profile as an NBA player. Some coverage reminded readers of Porter’s past podcast appearances and controversial quotes, while others focused on Pettis’s perspective and timing. Us Weekly and Fox News reported the remarks and attempted to secure comment from Porter.

What to expect next

  • Further comment: Media requests to Porter may produce a response; neither Pettis nor Porter issued new statements beyond the podcast at publication time.
  • Social buzz: Expect continued discussion across X and entertainment outlets given the blunt characterization and Porter’s prior controversies.
  • Possible follow-ups: Interviewers or show hosts may press for clarification or context in future appearances by either party.

For audiences, the episode is a reminder that relationships involving public figures often resurface years later, shaped by new contexts and public scrutiny. Pettis’s remark gives a clear personal take; how Porter and the wider public react will determine whether this becomes a short news cycle or an ongoing conversation.