Top 50 junior Kevin Porter a prime West Coast target

EMERSON, Ga. -- One of the top scorers in the class of 2018 on the West Coast, top 50 shooting guard Kevin Porter is taking a step forward with his game. He's also inching closer to making a decision.

Before talking about his current school interest, Porter discussed the progress he's made with his game and how added strength has helped him to score 16 points and grab five rebounds a game for Rotary Select in Nike's EYBL.

"I feel like I've improved on my defense and I feel like I've improved on the consistency of my three ball," Porter told Rivals.com. "I've gotten a lot stronger too. It helps me a lot because it's much easier to score now.

"I don't want to have to work for every rebound or every bucket. I mean, I wouldn't mind too, but it's a lot easier because I've put on weight and have that strength now."

Among the programs to offer Porter scholarships are UCLA, Washington, Washington State and Oregon State and he also mentioned Arizona, Oregon and Gonzaga as programs that have shown interest.

Traditionally, Washington has done very well with local prospects and new coach Mike Hopkins has made a great first impression on Porter.

"Coach Hopkins, he's a goofy dude," said Porter. "He just makes you feel comfortable. Basically the moment you meet him you feel like everything is all good with him and he acts like he knew you all his life and you feel like you knew him all your life. So it's a good first impression."

Steve Alford and the Bruins have also made a strong impression on Porter.

"I've also been to UCLA, that's about it," said Porter. "It was paradise really. It was crazy. The campus was huge, I saw a lot of celebrities and it was beautiful. I liked the L.A. lifestyle."

Currently, Porter doesn't really have a set list and he's relatively open in his recruitment. But, he's also looking to make an early decision even after cutting things down in the early summer.

"I don't have any plans to cut it right now but I feel like I will cut it as of July," said Porter. "I'm planning to commit in early September or late August."