If Kristaps Porzingis’ young career had gone the way most predicted, he would just be beginning to settle into a role on the Knicks. Last year would have been one short on minutes but long on learning as the raw European teenager waited to bulk up and adjust to the NBA game. Of course, Porzingis immediately blew up that timeline, and in our reality’s Year 2, he’s on the cusp of real stardom on the court, not just in the hype machine.
Carmelo Anthony knows a thing or two about being a star, and even he’s stunned at how good Porzingis is already.
Here’s Melo gushing to ESPN about his young teammate:
“I’m still in awe of kind of some of the things he does on the court. Like yesterday, he made a move and I’m like, ‘Damn.’ You know what I mean? I’m still like a fan of kind of his talent and his skill level,” Anthony said after Monday’s practice. “I always thought it would kind of take longer to get acclimated. He’s doing a great job with just kind of taking it day by day, still getting a feel for the game and figuring it out on the fly.”
When it comes to Porzingis, “figuring it out on the fly” doesn’t resemble a young player learning the game as a young superhero testing the limits of his powers. It seems like every time he asserts himself, he does something breathtaking — that being said, it’s easy to be breathtaking when you’re 7’3 with the agility and shooting range of a small forward (He’s up to an elite 39 percent on three-point attempts).
Witness:
We’re in awe too, Melo.
(Via ESPN)
