I’ve heard that in life – or maybe it was that one scene in Gone Girl – that it’s a wise to get ahead of problems before they become fodder for the public. That way you have control over the narrative. In the film, Ben Affleck’s character, mired in a public battle for his image, prepares to admit live on air that he’s cheated on his missing wife with a young co-ed. But before he can make the announcement ,the co-ed in question appears on TV, airing his dirty laundry and foiling his plan.
In that spirit, I must admit thatmy initial reaction to the Kristaps Porzingis pick was, to quote Stephen A Smith, egregious.
Here’s the evidence. While I didn’t boo, I was shocked. There I sat, head in hands, at the thought of the worst Knick season in history leading to nothing more than a project pick right in the middle of Carmelo Anthony’s, albeit waning, prime. It seemed like a cruel joke, more misery to be heaped on a fanbase that has suffered enough.
But Knicks fans are eternal optimists, even if that optimism is cloaked in masochism and cynicism, and my perception of Porzingis would change when he spoke minutes later with boos raining from the rafters like some sort of satirical background music. “For those who don’t know me, they may think I’m soft, European … there have been busts before. I’m different. I just really love the game, I’m very hungry, and I’m looking forward to playing in the best league in the world.”
That momentcould as one of the most famous in Knicks history: a fanbase so abused that they doubted the genius of the player who could be their savior.
Just 12 games into his NBA career, the 20-year-old Porzingis has not only obliterated any preconceptions about his skill, he’s far surpassed even the most optimistic of projections. With each game he becomes more enigmatic, showcasing yet another previously unknown facet of his game. It’s hard to even put a cap on his ability. At 7ft 3in in shoes, he seems like an elongated Kevin Durant. He’s only a few inches shorter than Yao Ming, but his mobility is not nearly as limited.
He’s hitting threes, blocking and altering shots, and diving on the hardwood for loose balls against NBA legends. He’s baptizing elite players with his putbacks as well. Perennial all-star LaMarcus Aldridge was his first victim, and he hasn’t looked back, with Kevin Love and three Toronto Raptors in total being added to his kill list. When he’s not engaging in high-flying acrobatics at the rim he’s hitting potential 25ft game winners, that even feel good when they are waved off a minute later. A pivotal moment really showing that he’s not remotely shy under pressure.
But then he never was. It’s unknown whether Phil Jackson really knew not only the content of Porzingis’s character but his true potential as well (after all, even Jackson erroneously compared him to Shawn Bradley). Few players could have been a more perfect fit for New York. Porzingis is confident, but not in an off-putting way; he loves the big moment; and he never once shied away from the pressure and scrutiny that comes with playing in New York. It’s remarkable, in fact, how quickly he adapted on and off the court, and his excellent grasp of English helps as well. He’s extremely likable too, possessing a level of self assuredness far beyond his age.
Hence the rush to understand his game. A fairly lazy comparison to Dirk Nowitzki became the norm, but that’s more an inability to analyze foreign players than an accurate assessment. Porzingis has a clean shot and great mechanics, but will he be able to replicate Nowitzki’s shooting percentages? On the flip side, Porzingis appears to possess far more defensive potential than the German did. Porzingis is long and he knows it, and even as he struggled in the Summer League he was able to alter shots and knew when to use his height to his advantage. In fact, the most accurate comparison could be another Lithuanian legend Arvydas Sabonis. If the first thought to pop into your mind was the lumbering and immobile giant of the early-aughts Blazer teams then I offer you Sabonis in Europe in the early 80s before chronic knee, ankle and groin issues would limit his explosiveness. It’s a shame that the NBA never got the pleasure of seeing a fully-fit Sabonis in his prime, but perhaps Porzingis will fill that void.
What’s most intriguing is how much improved he is since the summer. There were signs of his skill, but Porzingis, who averaged a mere 3.25 boards over the four games in the Summer League, looked like he would struggle on the glass when faced with elite NBA talent. That hasn’t been the case at all: Porzingis is averaging 8.6 boards per game in only 25 minutes, per 36 he’s at 12.2. And rebounding aside, while he doled out bits and pieces of his repertoire over the first 11 games it was this Tuesday – the same night that the last player to elicit this type of hype from New York, Jeremy Lin, returned – that it all came together.
Against the Hornets, Porzingis pulled out all the stops, putting up an impressive 29 and 11 statline on 58% shooting. He was perfect from the line and from three-point range – the shot which he had been struggling with – and he was active on the boards. He even showcased a couple highlight sequences: this mini-dream shake on fellow lottery pick Frank Kaminsky, and this lay-up complete with an spellbinding left-handed grab that looks like a glitch in a video game at first glance.
Porzingis is not only far ahead of projections; he’s completely shattering them. These are the kinds of performances fans hoped he would put up in a couple years’ time, yet he’s doing it less than two months into his career. Consider this: after his breakout performance against the Hornets he became the youngest Knick ever to put up put up 25 and 10 in an NBA game.
After his breakout game, Porzingis was interrupted by the vociferous chants from the MSG crowd, but still he remained focused, not at all satisfied with the quantum leaps he’s already made: “I want to try to put up these numbers every game,” he said.
And it’s that, his attitude and demeanor, that’s making it seem as though he’ll live up to his potential. What sets Porzingis apart from a series of Euro bigs that ventured into the NBA recently (yes, I’m talking to you, Jan Vesely) is what Porzingis seemed to grasp from the get-go.
Porzingis is acutely aware of the perception of European big men as soft. From his first interview, Porzingis was laser-focused on proving the doubters wrong and proving himself right. If there was even a modicum of self-doubt it wasn’t revealed at all.
Against Anthony Davis and the Pelicans, Porzingis had perhaps his worst game of the season. The Knicks won, but Porzingis had a tough night, putting up just 10 points and four rebounds on only 4/15 shooting. But the silver lining was his attitude. He went up against Davis again and again, even getting a block on last year’s MVP candidate. Following up the worst game of a (brief) career with the best one is a sure sign of mental fortitude.
The hype is real, and Porzingis is becoming a must-see attraction. Even non-Knicks fans are beginning to watch his highlights to see what he does next. As of yesterday his jersey was sold out at the NBA store (Thankfully, I got mine a few months ago.) He’s even having an effect on Carmelo, who hasn’t seemed this happy on the court in a long time (Melo, notoriously brandeda ball-hog is actually leading the Knicks in total assists and assists per game). And he’s doing all of this without even being the most impressive rookie. Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves has looked like veteran, already putting up almost 16 and 11 a game, and the Philadelphia 76ers Jahlil Okafor is as good as advertised offensively, though his defense still needs improvement.
But Porzingis is something different. His unique mix of skills makes him a total anomaly, and his potential is almost limitless. And off the court he’s bringing joy to a franchise that’s been devoid of the feeling for so long. He’s become the hero that the Knicks needed, and one that the long-suffering fans deserved.
Naturally, debates surrounding his nickname have emerged. Though the likes of GodZingis, PorzinGod and The Zinger have been bandied about online as potential candidate. Porzingis himself has said he prefers the simpler KP. Though I’d love to sell him on the idea of Thee Six Latvia, or a personal favorite of mine “Young Staps”. But Knicks fans are only calling him one thing right now: Franchise Savior.
