When Kristaps Porzingis was selected fourth overall in the 2015 NBA draft by the New York Knicks, he was greeted with boos. He was a 7-foot-3 kid from Latvia that nobody knew about. He maturely shoved off all criticisms during the offseason and let his play do the talking when the 2015-16 NBA season started. And it didn't take long before Knicks fans turned from haters to lovers of Porzingis.
He showed flashes of his potential during his rookie season but he wasn't really able to get it off. He hit the rookie wall a couple of times but that was expected. This season, Porzingis has given the Knicks and the entire NBA more reasons to believe in him.
He is averaging 21 points on 50% shooting, including 39% from deep, all are career-highs. He has also shown progress in his maturity as a player. "I'm more calm when I'm in the post," Porzingis said. "I'm realizing how long I am and how difficult it is to block my shot."
Even his childhood idol, Dirk Nowitzki, has caught notice of his play and offered praises for him. "I am a huge fan of his game," Nowitzki said. "He's got the deep ball. He's got the in-between game. He is working on his post-ups. He is the real deal," he added.
As of the moment, the Knicks is, without a doubt, still Carmelo Anthony's team. But even Melo has acknowledged the progress of Porzingis and admits that he is a fan of his. "I'm still in awe of kind of some of the things he does on the court," said Anthony. "I'm still like a fan of kind of his talent and his skill level," he added.
Derrick Rose commented that it's kinda scary what Porzingis has shown so far because he's still just 21 years old and he's a lot to learn. Not only is his upside high, he also has the work ethic that will make him one of the best players in the league in the near future.
He has good footwork and uses the 'Dream Shake', he has ridiculous range, has a soft touch, he has worked on Nowitzki's signature one-legged fadeaway shot, and he's 7-foot-3 height allows him to shoot over almost everybody.
The Knicks head into thanksgiving with a 7-7 record and a mini 2-game win streak. The season is young but the Knicks are hopeful that Porzingis' progress will take them far down the road. His emergence surely is a welcome site for Melo, the Knicks, and its fans.