Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Kristaps Porzingis was taken No. 4 overall by the New York Knicks in the 2015 NBA Draft. The 19-year-old kid from Latvia was widely regarded among scouts as a top-five talent in the draft, potentially having the biggest upside of any of the draftees. He’s very explosive, can shoot from deep with precision, has off-the-charts athleticism and, oh yeah, he’s 6-foot-11. One could liken him to a young Dirk Nowitzki, only more athletic. Sounds like a steal at No. 4, right? Knicks fans didn’t think so, and it was reported that Carmelo Anthony didn’t either. And that’s all because they had never heard of him.
Anthony reportedly called former teammate Tim Hardaway, Jr. (traded to the Atlanta Hawks on draft night) and expressed his displeasure on the Porzingis pick. Knicks fans cried out, exclaiming that Phil Jackson should have drafted someone who could help right away. The loudest Knicks fan was ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith who, despite being on vacation, made his way onto television to bloviate about how Jackson’s pick was foolish and Anthony should demand a trade. The passion from Knicks fans is always there, but it’s far too often misplaced.
Who exactly did Smith and Anthony want the Knicks to draft there? It would have been ideal to get Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell or Jahlil Okafor, but they were off the board. Porzingis was the right pick. For the first time since Patrick Ewing, the Knicks made a wise decision with a lottery pick. Now, despite the reports of Anthony calling Hardaway Jr., it appears that the Knicks’ star is starting to think more rationally.
In a TMZ report, Anthony was quoted saying of Porzingis, “I really love him. I feel him. I’m gonna get with him tomorrow.” Anthony said he would be going to work out with Porzingis. It’s a nice thing for Knicks fans to hear their star say, because if he can get behind Porzingis, so can they.
There were no better options for the Knicks with the No. 4 pick, and if Porzingis pans out, even if it takes a year or two, the New York fanbase will realize that. If he does become Super Dirk, there will be no questioning the selection of Porzingis. The frail rookie will add muscle, and the added bulk coupled with becoming acclimated with the NBA grind will reveal Porzingis’ ability. Once that happens, Anthony and Porzingis could make for one of the better offensive front lines in the NBA. However, if Anthony didn’t embrace Porzingis, that would not be possible.
Be happy with these quotes, Knicks fans. This organization doesn’t need any more drama.
Patrick Piascik is an NBA Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @patrickpiascik.
