The Knicks seem to have found a gem in Kristaps Porzingis. The 19 year old is making the top 10 plays almost every time he steps out on the floor, he certainly knows how to get a crowd going!
Let’s put it into perspective. First off, he’s 7’3″. Despite his age he is bigger than pretty much everyone, and he’s been using his height to his advantage with a series of big rebounding performances, including 15 against Charlotte last night I believe.
Kris has also been a big influence on the offensive end…MAN THAT KID CAN DUNK!!! He’s been getting those putback jams like a champ! He’s not afraid to attack the defense which is so important for a big. He also has the outside shot which has been put into good use so far, stepping out on multiple occasions to bury the 3. Of course last night he was 0.1 second away from the game winner counting, but it shows that even under the pressure of taking the last shot he isn’t phased and can bury them. Unfortunately he just didn’t have enough time to get the shot off. I think Melo has given Kris a lot of confidence and self-belief, and allowing him to take that shot will have helped him even more! He is being nurtured into a star and it’s great to watch.
Knicks fans were not overly pleased when they overlooked lots of great players coming out of college for a Latvian from Europe. However he is looking like one hell of a player! He could well turn out to be the best player out of this years draft. He is making good decisions on the floor, he understands the triangle offence, he already has a handful of double-doubles too, and boy can he wake up a crowd!
Can Porzingis develop into one of the most diverse and successful big men in the game? I personally think he could become an all-star if he continues to develop in the way he is. He just has to stay clear of injuries and continue to put the hours in with Coach Fisher and the guys. I also believe he could slowly take over Melo’s role as the star at New York in the future.
Where do you rate Kris in the draft class of 2015? Is he one of the best? Or do you think he’s overrated? Let me know via twitter @tombonnett2
