Porzingis believes he can become best player in NBA
Kristaps Porzingis believes in the hype surrounding him.
The New York Knicks star received praise from an opponent Friday, when Phoenix Suns center Tyson Chandler said he "has a chance to be the best player in this league."
Porzingis humbly agrees.
"Those are some big words coming from him," he said Saturday, as quoted by Marc Berman of the New York Post. "I believe so, too. And that's something I'm going to work towards."
The versatile 22-year-old power forward has clearly put in work over the summer while leading his native Latvia to a quarterfinal finish in the European championships. The early returns are promising; in his first go as the unquestioned leader of his NBA club, Porzingis has averaged 29 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and an assist in 32.9 minutes per game.
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The Unicorn is 7-foot-3, mobile, athletic, and boasts an incredibly varied offensive skill set for someone his size. Perhaps just as important as his tools, Porzingis wants to be the best and is willing to put in the effort.
"KP has that drive," coach Jeff Hornacek said. "Not a lot of guys have that drive. If they do, they don't want to put the effort in there to get there. He does. He's worked hard in the summer. He's so young, he's going to get better and better."
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Greatness is determined by both individual and team success, and unfortunately the Knicks have been awful in Porzingis' first two years on the club. So far this season, the former No. 4 pick's efforts have elevated them to a .500 club.
If Porzingis can sustain his high level of play for the duration of the campaign, his goal of leading New York to the playoffs for the first time in his career - and five years overall - might not be that far-fetched. It certainly wouldn't hurt in his bid to someday become the greatest player in the game.