Kristaps Porziņģis (; born 2 August 1995) is a Latvian professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
player for the
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
of the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
(NBA). Nicknamed "The Unicorn" for his ability to make plays and shoot 3-pointers as a
center, he is listed at and plays as a
power forward
The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five traditional Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. Traditionally, power forwards have played a role similar to center (basketball), centers and are typi ...
and center.
Born in
Liepāja
Liepāja () (formerly: Libau) is a Administrative divisions of Latvia, state city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea. It is the largest city in the Courland region and the third-largest in the country after Riga and Daugavpils. It is an ...
, Porziņģis began his professional career with
Sevilla in 2012. Porziņģis quickly rose through the team's youth ranks and became the figurehead of the senior team by 2013. He subsequently won the
EuroCup Basketball Rising Star award in 2015, where, at age 19, Porziņģis became the youngest ever recipient of the award. The following summer, he declared for the
NBA draft
The NBA draft is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) annual event, dating back to 1947 BAA draft, 1947, in which the teams in the league can Draft (sports), draft players who declare for the draft and that are Eligibility for the NBA dr ...
and was selected fourth overall by the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...
.
In New York, Porziņģis was seen as one of the Knicks' potential cornerstones, and he was selected as an
All-Star
An all-star team is a group of people all having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and has been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry.
Sports
"All-star" as a sport ...
in
2018
Events January
* January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency.
* January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
. However, disagreements with the front office led Porziņģis to be traded to the
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...
in 2019. In Dallas, he was plagued by injuries and inconsistent play and was traded to the
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays i ...
in 2022. In Washington, Porziņģis bounced back, but was traded to the
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
in 2023 as part of the Wizards' front office's desire to rebuild. He won an NBA championship with the Celtics in 2024.
Early career
Porziņģis followed in his parents' footsteps and started playing basketball at age six.
[ Once he turned 12, his older brother, Jānis, who played professionally in Europe, took Porziņģis to offseason training sessions. He played in youth competitions with BK Liepājas Lauvas, the most famous club based in his hometown of ]Liepāja
Liepāja () (formerly: Libau) is a Administrative divisions of Latvia, state city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea. It is the largest city in the Courland region and the third-largest in the country after Riga and Daugavpils. It is an ...
, until age 15. An agent from Latvia sent video of Porziņģis around this time to teams in Spain and Italy. In 2010, Baloncesto Sevilla, a club that had a professional team competing in the Liga ACB
The Liga ACB, known as Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional basketball division of the Spanish basketball league system. Administered by the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto (ACB), Liga ACB is contested by 18 teams, w ...
in Spain, called Porziņģis for a tryout in an attempt to recruit foreign talent to its junior squads. He stood and weighed at this time. Porziņģis recalled the moment and said, "I came here with my brother for two or three days, but it was really hot and I couldn't play at my best because of that. Still, I received a contract in summer 2010 and I signed it." Inmaculada Avivar, a nutritionist for Sevilla, diagnosed that Porziņģis was suffering from anemia
Anemia (also spelt anaemia in British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen. This can be due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin availabl ...
, meaning that he had fewer red blood cell
Red blood cells (RBCs), referred to as erythrocytes (, with -''cyte'' translated as 'cell' in modern usage) in academia and medical publishing, also known as red cells, erythroid cells, and rarely haematids, are the most common type of blood cel ...
s. This caused Porziņģis to feel fatigue, shortness of breath, and inability to exercise. However, he gradually overcame the condition and began seeing improvement in his game. In addition to medical problems, Porziņģis had trouble picking up the language
Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and signed language, signed forms, and may also be conveyed through writing syste ...
in Seville
Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...
, making him reluctant to return there after his first tryout. In his first season playing for the junior squad, Porziņģis struggled to communicate with the coaching staff and his teammates and was often tired due to his health.
Porziņģis debuted for the youth squad on 4 January 2012 against its counterpart from Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
, adding 12 points and 10 rebounds. The opposing side was led by Alexander Zhigulin, who went on to enter the 2015 NBA draft and withdraw. However, Sevilla was defeated, 56–75. This game was part of the Ciutat de L'Hospitalet tournament, which led up to the Nike International Junior Tournament (NIJT). The following day, Porziņģis scored a personal best of 16 points on the Spars Sarajevo youth squad, helping Sevilla beat their opponents by a margin of eight points. Porziņģis said, "I knew it was a prestigious tournament and that I had to do well. I think I could have done much better, but I wasn't physically 100 percent. I have seen videos and could have been much more aggressive. But I wish I could have played better." He finished the tournament averaging 9.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks.
Porziņģis represented the Sevilla junior team again at the same tournament in early 2013. Against Union Olimpija on 4 January, he recorded 15 points and six rebounds. Two days later in the team's tournament finale vs Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional Football club (association football), football club based in Madrid. The club competes in La Liga, th ...
's youth squad, Porziņģis scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. He also made five three-pointers. Porziņģis proved to be more effective in his second year, averaging 16.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks and shooting .481 on three-pointers. This was his final stint in the youth categories of Sevilla.
Professional career
Sevilla (2012–2015)
2012–13: Rookie season
Entering the 2012–13 ACB season, Sevilla had hired Aíto García Reneses, who previously worked with the likes of Pau Gasol, Juan Carlos Navarro, Ricky Rubio and Rudy Fernández. On 29 September 2012, Porziņģis got the opportunity to make an appearance with the club's first team, but was allowed to play for only a minute. Sevilla took a tremendous loss to CB Murcia. Following a return to the youth categories of the club at the Torneig de Bàsquet Junior Ciutat de L'Hospitalet, Porziņģis went back to competing for the senior squad. On 16 January 2013, he logged only four minutes against Spartak Saint Petersburg in the EuroCup, scoring no points, but contributing a rebound and an assist. Porziņģis scored his first basket for the senior team on 20 February, in a rematch with Spartak. Porziņģis said, "I was very nervous at the beginning: I wanted to do well and not pick up turnovers. At the same time, I got a lot of confidence with players of my same age. That allowed me to play better with the first team and practice with more confidence." On 4 May, Porziņģis posted a season-high seven points with the senior team, hitting two of three shots vs Bilbao Basket
Club Basket Bilbao Berri Sociedad Anónima Deportiva, S.A.D., commonly known as Bilbao Basket (), also known as Surne Bilbao Basket for sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball club based in Bilbao, Spain. The team plays in the Liga ACB. T ...
in ACB competition.
2013–14: Second season and NBA consideration
Porziņģis opened his second season on Sevilla's main squad strong in his third game against the EuroLeague
The EuroLeague is a European men's professional basketball club competition. The league is widely recognised as the top-tier and the most prestigious men's basketball league in Europe. The league consists of 20 teams, of which 16 are given lon ...
team Laboral Kutxa, leading them to a 20-point ACB victory on 2 November 2013. He notched 12 points, six rebounds, and four blocks. Porziņģis broke his scoring record once more against Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional Football club (association football), football club based in Madrid. The club competes in La Liga, th ...
on 30 November 2013, nearly leading his team to a victory. Against the very same team on 6 April 2014, Porziņģis scored a career-high 20 points, nailing two three-pointers. Despite his team losing, Porziņģis began to trend on social media due to his performance. Porziņģis said, "It was a very good game for me on offense. I didn't get any rebounds in that game. I had a good shooting night, but could have helped more on defense. Still, fans in Madrid gave me a nice ovation when I fouled out and I liked that a lot." On 25 May, he got the chance to face his idol Justin Doellman of Barcelona, whom he called the "best power forward in Spanish basketball". Porziņģis scored 14 points against Doellman's team. In May 2014, Porziņģis was selected in the ACB All-Young Players Team of the 2013–14 season.
In April, Porziņģis declared himself eligible for the 2014 NBA draft. Before and after he made the decision, Porziņģis drew interest from National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
(NBA) teams such as the Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NB ...
, who held the 12th overall pick, and traveled to Europe to scout him. The Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Confer ...
reportedly were certainly going to select Porziņģis with the 21st pick in the case that he remained. Porziņģis was considered an unfinished product and a top-15 draft pick. According to DraftExpress.com, he was the fourth-youngest prospect in their top-100 rankings. However, Porziņģis withdrew his name shortly before the draft. Porziņģis's agent Andy Miller released the information to ESPN
ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...
, saying that his client did not feel prepared to become a part of the NBA and wanted to develop his skills until the 2015 draft. One of the league's general managers commented on Porziņģis, "He's very talented. He wasn't ready, but we would've seriously considered drafting him anyway. If he continues to develop his game, get more minutes and his body develops, I think he could be a top-five pick in 2015. He has that kind of talent."
2014–15: EuroCup Rising Star
Prior to the 2014–15 ACB season, head coach Aíto García Reneses parted ways with Sevilla. On 4 October 2014, against CB 1939 Canarias, Porziņģis made his season debut in the Liga ACB, scoring three points in the game. Porziņģis made his first appearance at the 2014–15 EuroCup on 15 October against EWE Baskets Oldenburg and scored two points. However, Porziņģis had a strong EuroCup performance against Pallacanestro Virtus Roma in the weeks that followed, in which he contributed 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks. Porziņģis recorded a double-double in mid-November in a win over Estudiantes, adding 11 points and 11 rebounds. On 11 February 2015, he scored a season-high 19 points against the EuroCup's Turów Zgorzelec. Porziņģis tied this record on 18 April, vs. Bàsquet Manresa in the ACB. Three days earlier, Porziņģis was named the winner of the EuroCup Rising Star Award of the season. A month later, he repeated in the ACB All-Young Players Team, after avoiding the relegation
Promotion and relegation is used by sports leagues as a process where teams can move up and down among divisions in a league system, based on their performance over a season. Leagues that use promotion and relegation systems are sometimes call ...
with Baloncesto Sevilla.
New York Knicks (2015–2019)
On 16 April 2015, Porziņģis entered the 2015 NBA draft, according to a report from agent Andy Miller. After gaining a season more of experience, Porziņģis became known as a lottery
A lottery (or lotto) is a form of gambling that involves the drawing of numbers at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw lotteries, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find som ...
pick and a potential top-five selection. He drew interest from teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
, who had the No. 2 pick and had several personnel that had seen Porziņģis play in Spain. Porziņģis was compared with players such as Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki (; born June 19, 1978) is a German former professional basketball player who is a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Listed at , he is widely regarded as one of the great ...
, but also Darko Miličić, a former lottery selection widely considered a draft bust. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports
Yahoo! Sports is a sports news website launched by Yahoo! on December 8, 1997. It receives a majority of its information from Stats Perform. It employs numerous writers, and has team pages for teams in almost every North American major sport. ...
wrote, "Porziņģis has an innate awareness about the way the American public sees a young, long European teenager. He comes to the NBA with the full understanding that popular basketball culture declares him guilty until proven innocent of the basketball crimes of Darko Miličić and Nikoloz Tskitishvili and Andrea Bargnani. He's considered a stiff, a bust, a blown lottery pick until he doesn't become one..."
On 25 June 2015, Porziņģis was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft by the New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...
. He was booed by some New York fans upon being drafted, but vowed to change the fans' opinions on him from negative to positive. On the same night, the Knicks traded for Porziņģis' teammate from Sevilla, Willy Hernangómez, who was originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...
as a 35th overall pick. Porziņģis became the highest drafted Latvian and Baltic player in NBA history.
2015–16: Rookie season
On 30 July 2015, Porziņģis signed his rookie-scale contract with the Knicks. On 28 October, Porziņģis scored 16 points in his NBA debut, leading New York to a 122–97 season-opening victory over the Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
. He was 3-of-11 from the field and 9-of-12 from the line. On 21 November, Porziņģis had 24 points, 14 rebounds, and seven blocked shots to lead the Knicks to a 107–102 victory over the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...
, becoming the first 20-year-old to post such a stat line in a single game since Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), commonly known as Shaq ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. He is a and Center (basketball), center ...
in 1992–93, and the first rookie to reach those totals since Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore Duncan (born April 25, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise, spent his entire 19-year career with the San Antonio Sp ...
in 1998.
On 3 December 2015, Porziņģis was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in October and November. He ranked third among all rookies in scoring (13.7 ppg) and was second in rebounding (9.3 rpg) and blocked shots (1.89 bpg) for October and November. Porziņģis also went on to claim Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honours for December and January. On 12 February 2016, he scored 30 points for Team World in the Rising Stars Challenge. On 23 March, Porziņģis tied a then career-high with 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 115–107 win over the Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...
. He was one point short of becoming the first rookie since Patrick Ewing
Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. (born August 5, 1962) is a Jamaican-American basketball coach and former professional player who is a basketball ambassador for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he played most o ...
to put up 30 points and 10 rebounds in a single game for the Knicks.
Porziņģis appeared in 72 of the Knicks' 82 games in 2015–16, missing the final seven games of the season due to a right shoulder strain. He finished with averages of 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.9 blocks per game. Porziņģis finished second in the NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the top rookie(s) of the regular season. Initiated following the 1952–53 NBA season, it confers the Eddie Gottlieb Tr ...
voting behind winner Karl-Anthony Towns, and earned NBA All-Rookie First Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for play ...
honors.
2016–18: Promising years
On 16 November 2016, Porziņģis scored a then career-high 35 points in a 105–102 victory over the Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
. On 11 December, he recorded 26 points, 12 rebounds, and a career-high-tying seven blocks in a 118–112 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
. On 19 January 2017, Porziņģis came off the bench for the first time in his NBA career after returning from a four-game absence due to a sore left Achilles tendon. Porziņģis subsequently scored 15 points in a 113–110 loss to the Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays i ...
. During the 2017 All-Star Weekend, he played for Team World in the Rising Stars Challenge and won the Skills Challenge.
In the Knicks' season opener the following season, on 19 October 2017, Porziņģis had 31 points and 12 rebounds in a 105–84 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Confer ...
. On 30 October, he scored a then career-high 38 points in a 116–110 victory over the Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA), W ...
. On 5 November, Porziņģis set a then career-high with 40 points in a 108–101 victory over the Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
. He was subsequently named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played from Monday, 30 October through Sunday, 5 November. Porziņģis recorded the best start to a season in Knicks history, earning 300 points through 10 games, two more than Bernard King
Bernard King (born December 4, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player at the small forward position in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 14 seasons with the New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz, Golden State Warrior ...
had to open the 1984–85 season. His strong performance continued through the midpoint of the season, and on 23 January 2018, Porziņģis was named an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve.
However, on 6 February 2018, in a 103–89 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
, Porziņģis tore his left ACL and was subsequently ruled out for the rest of the season.
2018–19: Injury and recovery
In October 2018, the Knicks decided against signing Porziņģis to a rookie extension, a move that gave New York an extra $10 million in cap space in the summer of 2019 while making Porziņģis a restricted free agent in the offseason. Due to recovering from his ACL injury, Porziņģis did not play for the Knicks to begin the 2018–19 season.
Dallas Mavericks (2019–2022)
On 31 January 2019, after a meeting with the Knicks left franchise officials with the impression that Porziņģis wanted to be traded, he was traded alongside Trey Burke, Courtney Lee and Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...
in exchange for DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews, Dennis Smith Jr., an unprotected 2021 first-round draft pick, and an additional top-ten protected 2023 first round draft pick. Porziņģis sat out for the rest of the 2018–19 season, healing from his ACL injury. On 12 July, Porziņģis agreed to re-sign with the Mavericks on a five-year maximum contract worth $158 million.
2019–20: Playoff debut
Porziņģis debuted for the Mavericks on 23 October 2019, posting 23 points and four rebounds in a 108–100 win over the Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays i ...
. On 31 January 2020, he scored a then season-high 35 points, along with 12 rebounds in a 128–121 loss to the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...
. Three days later, that season-high was surpassed with a 38-point, 12-rebound performance in a 112–103 victory over the Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
. On 5 February, Porziņģis followed that up with 32 points and 12 rebounds in a 121–107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the ...
, before leaving the game with a broken nose. On 1 March, Porziņģis matched his then season-high 38 points, along with 14 rebounds and five blocks, in a 111–91 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves (often referred to as the Wolves or T-wolves) are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Divisio ...
. Three days later, he had 34 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocks in a 127–123 overtime victory over the New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Confere ...
, becoming the first player since Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), commonly known as Shaq ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. He is a and Center (basketball), center ...
in 2000 to have consecutive 30-point, five-block games. The next day, Porziņģis was named the Western Conference player of the week, his second time to earn Player of the Week honors. From 25 February to 1 March, Porziņģis averaged 26.3 points per game, 11.8 rebounds per game, and 2.3 blocks per game. The Mavericks recorded a 3–1 record in that stretch. On 31 July, Porziņģis recorded a season-high 39 points, as well as 16 rebounds, in a 153–149 overtime loss to the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...
. This was the Mavericks' first game in the Orlando bubble, returning from a four-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. Porziņģis finished his bubble play strong, averaging 30.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 blocks per game across six games, earning him All Seeding Games Second Team honors.
On 17 August, Porziņģis made his NBA playoff debut in a 118–110 loss in Game 1 to the Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The ...
, recording 14 points and six rebounds before being ejected early in the third quarter following an altercation with Marcus Morris Sr. Two days later in Game 2, Porziņģis helped the Mavericks even up the series with a 23-point and seven-rebound performance in a 127–114 victory before posting 34 points and 13 rebounds in a 130–122 loss in Game 3. However, he missed the rest of the series with a lateral meniscus tear and Dallas was eliminated in six games.
2020–21: Playoff fallout
Porziņģis had surgery on his torn lateral meniscus on 9 October 2020. Porziņģis went on to miss the first nine games of the 2020-21 NBA season recovering from surgery. He made his season debut on 13 January 2021, against the Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team ...
, where he scored 16 points while held to a 21-minute restriction. As a precautionary measure, Porziņģis did not play in the majority of back-to-back games during the regular season. On 12 February, he scored a season-high 36 points with a career-high eight made three pointers in a 143–130 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Confere ...
. On 26 March, Porziņģis tied a career-high by grabbing 18 rebounds in a 109–94 loss to the Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
. Dallas improved on their previous season record and finished the 2020–21 season with a 42–30 record. The Mavericks clinched the Southwest division for the first time since the 2009–10 season following a 110–90 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...
on 7 May. Porziņģis finished the season averaging 20.1 points per game and 8.9 rebounds per game. The 2020–21 season proved to be his most efficient season of his career thus far, posting career highs in eFG%, TS% and FG% statistics. Porziņģis became just the sixth player in franchise history to have multiple seasons averaging over 20 points per game, joining Mark Aguirre
Mark Anthony Aguirre ( ; born December 10, 1959) is a Mexican-American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Aguirre was chosen as the List of first overall NBA draft picks, first overall pick of th ...
, Rolando Blackman, Luka Dončić, Michael Finley
Michael Howard Finley (born March 6, 1973) is an American former professional basketball player who is the assistant general manager and vice president of player personnel for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He ...
and Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki (; born June 19, 1978) is a German former professional basketball player who is a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Listed at , he is widely regarded as one of the great ...
.
However, Porziņģis' numbers dropped drastically during the first round of the playoffs, averaging 13.1 points per game and grabbing 5.4 rebounds per game. The Mavericks went on to lose in the first round to the Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The ...
for the second consecutive season in seven games. Following the series, Porziņģis was roundly mocked by fans for his subpar performance during the series, with many calling him "Pandemic P", a name originally used for mocking Paul George for his abysmal performance during the 2020 playoffs. Porziņģis was disgruntled with his role in the first round series against the Clippers, often being relegated to a decoy or three-point spacing threat. Rumors of Porziņģis wanting a trade in the offseason began to form, but nothing came of it. He began training for the upcoming season. In an Instagram post, Porziņģis vowed to come back stronger and more refined and that the Unicorn 2.0 was incoming.
2021–22 season: Final season in Dallas
Following the 2021 playoffs, the Mavericks parted ways with long time head coach Rick Carlisle
Richard Preston Carlisle ( ; born October 27, 1959) is an American basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has previously served as head coach of the Detroi ...
who resigned from his position as head coach after 13 seasons. Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd (born March 23, 1973) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the List of current NBA head coaches, head coach for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regar ...
was hired as the team's new head coach, marking Porziņģis' sixth head coach in seven NBA seasons. The 2021 offseason was the first offseason that Porziņģis was not recovering from injury since entering the league in 2015.
Porziņģis recorded 11 points, five rebounds, and two blocks during the season-opening 113–87 loss to the Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
on 21 October 2021. He played three games before missing a string of games with lower back tightness. Porziņģis returned to action against the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
on 6 November, scoring 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds. He scored 10 of his points in the fourth quarter, including a put-back dunk to tie the game at 104 and the Mavericks went on to win 107–104. Porziņģis scored a then season-high 32 points in a 123–109 victory over the San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
on 12 November. He then had another then season-high 34 points in a 132–117 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
on 27 December. During a 104–91 victory against the Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the ...
on 23 January 2022, Porziņģis recorded a season-high six blocks. On 29 January, he played in what would be his final game as a Maverick against the Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
; Porziņģis left during the middle of the game due to a knee bruise.
Washington Wizards (2022–2023)
2021–2022 and 2022–2023 seasons: Missing the playoffs
On 10 February 2022, the Mavericks traded Porziņģis and a protected 2022 second-round pick to the Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays i ...
in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie and Dāvis Bertāns. Porziņģis played his first game as a Wizard on 6 March, scoring 25 points against the Pacers. On 19 March, Porziņģis led the Wizards to a 127–119 comeback victory over the Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
, which featured Porziņģis posterizing LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James Sr. ( ; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and ...
for a dunk during crunch time. On 30 March, Porziņģis dropped a season-high 35 points in a 127–110 victory over the Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NB ...
. He then recorded 24 points against the Mavericks, his former team, in a 135–103 victory. The Wizards ultimately failed to make both the playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
and the play-in tournament, finishing with a 35–47 record.
The following season, on 12 November 2022, Porziņģis recorded a double-double with 31 points and 10 rebounds in a 121–112 victory over the Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. Since the 1991–92 season, the ...
. On 28 November, he scored a then career-high 41 points in a 142–127 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves (often referred to as the Wolves or T-wolves) are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Divisio ...
. In the next game, Porziņģis recorded 27 points and a career-high 19 rebounds in an 113–107 loss to the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), ...
. On 2 January 2023, he was named the NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for Week 11 (26 December – 1 January), his third career NBA Player of the Week award and first with the Wizards. Porziņģis helped lead the Wizards to an undefeated 4–0 week with averages of 24.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. On 8 March, he scored a career-high 43 points on 17-of-22 shooting from the field and 7-of-10 shooting from three-point range along with five rebounds and five assists in a narrow 122–120 loss to the Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
. Despite averaging a career-high 23.2 points per game on a career-high 49.8% field goal shooting percentage, the Wizards once again missed the play-in tournament, finishing with a 35–47 record for the second straight year.
Boston Celtics (2023–present)
2023–2024 season: First NBA Championship
On 23 June 2023, the Wizards traded Porziņģis to the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
as part of a three-team deal that sent Marcus Smart
Marcus Osmond Smart (born March 6, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Oklahoma State Cowboys basketball, Oklahoma Stat ...
to the Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the ...
and Tyus Jones to Washington. Boston also received a 2023 first-round pick (pick No. 25) and a top-four-protected 2024 first-round pick (via Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...
) from the Grizzlies while Washington acquired Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala
Michael Peter Muscala (/muˈSKĂ luh/; born July 1, 1991) is an American former professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, Oklah ...
, and Boston's 2023 second-round pick (pick No. 35). Porziņģis chose to wear number 8 with the Celtics as his usual number 6 was retired for Bill Russell
William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played Center (basketball), center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was t ...
.
Porziņģis made his Celtics debut on 25 October 2023 in a return to Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
against the New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...
, propelling Boston to a 108–104 season-opening victory while recording 30 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, including 15 points in the first quarter alone. His 30 points set the record for the most points scored in a debut in Celtics history. On December 28, Porziņģis had a season-high 35 points and eight rebounds in a 128–122 overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
. He was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week during the penultimate week of the regular season.
The Celtics made the playoffs as the first seed in the Eastern Conference, and faced the Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...
in the first round. Porziņģis suffered a calf strain in Game 4 on 29 April 2024, and he missed the rest of that series. Porziņģis also missed the entirety of the Celtics' next two series against the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...
and Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
, as the Celtics advanced to the 2024 NBA Finals
The 2024 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 2023–24 NBA season, 2023–24 season and conclusion to 2024 NBA playoffs, the season's playoffs. In the best-of-seven playoffs series, the Eastern ...
to face the Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...
, his former team. Porziņģis returned for Game 1 of the Finals on 6 June, coming off the bench and scoring 18 of his 20 points in the first half. Three days later, in Game 2, Porziņģis developed a new injury with a "torn medial retinaculum, allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon" in his left leg that was considered completely unrelated to the previous calf injury he had dealt with for most of the playoffs. Despite missing the next two games, Porziņģis returned in Game 5 on 17 June, where he scored five points and helped the Celtics secure their record-setting 18th championship.
2024–2025 season: Recovery from injury
On 27 June 2024, Porziņģis underwent surgery to repair his retinaculum injury with a recovery timetable being set at five to six months, ruling Porziņģis out for the beginning of the 2024–25 NBA season
The 2024–25 NBA season is the 79th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The regular season began on October 22, 2024, and ended on April 13, 2025. The NBA held an in-season tournament for the second consecutive year, now called ...
.
After missing the first month of the season, Porziņģis made his season debut on 25 November 2024 against the Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The ...
, where he recorded 16 points, six rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in the 126–94 win.
National team career
Junior national team
Porziņģis played with the Latvian youth team and was selected in the 2013 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship All-Tournament Team.
Senior national team
In 2017, Porziņģis played for Latvia
Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...
at EuroBasket 2017
EuroBasket 2017 was the 40th edition of the EuroBasket championship that was organized by FIBA Europe and held between 31 August and 17 September 2017. Beginning from 2017, the continental championships take place every four years with a similar ...
, where he averaged 23.6 points per game (ranked third), 5.9 rebounds per game (ranked 19th) and 1.9 blocks per game (ranked first). Latvia was eliminated in the quarterfinals by eventual champions Slovenia
Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
, losing 97–103. Against Slovenia, Porziņģis scored a tournament-high 34 points despite playing in foul trouble throughout the game. He scored 16 of his 34 points in the final period to help Latvia cut Slovenia's 13-point lead to two with two minutes remaining.
After a five-year absence, in August 2022, Porziņģis returned to play for the national team in the August window of the second round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers. In two games, he averaged 25.5 points per game, 14.0 rebounds per game, and 3.0 blocks per game. In a 111–85 victory over Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, Porziņģis scored 22 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked six shots in just 22 minutes of playing. In Latvia's 87–80 victory over Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
, he had 14 rebounds and scored 29 points on 75% shooting.
Player profile
Porziņģis has been compared to Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki (; born June 19, 1978) is a German former professional basketball player who is a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Listed at , he is widely regarded as one of the great ...
, since both were trained in Europe before entering the NBA. Both Porziņģis and Nowitzki are seven-foot-plus players who are comfortable anywhere on the front line and can both shoot from the outside. During his rookie season, Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant (born September 29, 1988), also known by his initials KD, is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Durant has won two List of NBA champions, NBA champ ...
dubbed Porziņģis a basketball "unicorn" because of his rare combination of size and skills. Although Porziņģis is currently listed at tall, he was measured to be closer to tall without shoes in 2019, which would put him among the tallest active NBA players. In January 2018, Porziņģis averaged 19 shot attempts per game for the Knicks, one of the most ever by a player his size (the only players taller than to average 15 field goal attempts per game were Ralph Sampson and Yao Ming
Yao Ming ( zh, c=姚明; born September 12, 1980) is a Chinese basketball executive and former professional player. He played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and the Houston Rockets of the National Baske ...
). Due to his height and mobility, Porziņģis is able to shoot over most defenders, with his sheer size and high volume creating a unique advantage initially shared by no other player in the NBA. More recently, younger "unicorns" like Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama ( ; ; born 4 January 2004), nicknamed "Wemby" and "The Alien", is a French professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Considered one of the best basketball prospec ...
and Chet Holmgren have entered the league with playing styles often compared to Porziņģis.
Career statistics
NBA
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", New York
, 72 , , 72 , , 28.4 , , .421 , , .333 , , .838 , , 7.3 , , 1.3 , , .7 , , 1.9 , , 14.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", New York
, 66 , , 65 , , 32.8 , , .450 , , .357 , , .786 , , 7.2 , , 1.5 , , .7 , , 2.0 , , 18.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", New York
, 48 , , 48 , , 32.4 , , .439 , , .395 , , .793 , , 6.6 , , 1.2 , , .8 , , 2.4 , , 22.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
, 57 , , 57 , , 31.8 , , .427 , , .352 , , .799 , , 9.5 , , 1.8 , , .7 , , 2.0 , , 20.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
, 43 , , 43 , , 30.9 , , .476 , , .376 , , .855 , , 8.9 , , 1.6 , , .5 , , 1.3 , , 20.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2,
, style="text-align:left;", Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
, 34 , , 34 , , 29.5 , , .451 , , .283 , , .865 , , 7.7 , , 2.0 , , .7 , , 1.7 , , 19.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Washington
, 17 , , 17 , , 28.2 , , .475 , , .367 , , .871 , , 8.8 , , 2.9 , , .7 , , 1.5 , , 22.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Washington
, 65 , , 65 , , 32.6 , , .498 , , .385 , , .851 , , 8.4 , , 2.7 , , .9 , , 1.5 , , 23.2
, -
, style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;",
, style="text-align:left;", Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, 57 , , 57 , , 29.6 , , .516 , , .375 , , .858 , , 7.2 , , 2.0 , , .7 , , 1.9 , , 20.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, 42 , , 42 , , 28.8 , , .483 , , .412 , , .809 , , 6.8 , , 2.1 , , .7 , , 1.5 , , 19.5
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 501 , , 500 , , 30.8 , , .461 , , .366 , , .829 , , 7.8 , , 1.8 , , .7 , , 1.8 , , 19.6
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2020
The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
, style="text-align:left;", Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
, 3 , , 3 , , 31.5 , , .525 , , .529 , , .870 , , 8.7 , , .7 , , .0 , , 1.0 , , 23.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2021
Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
, style="text-align:left;", Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
, 7 , , 7 , , 33.3 , , .472 , , .296 , , .842 , , 5.4 , , 1.3 , , 1.3 , , .7 , , 13.1
, -
, style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", 2024
The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...
, style="text-align:left;", Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, 7 , , 4 , , 23.5 , , .467 , , .345 , , .909 , , 4.4 , , 1.1 , , .7 , , 1.6 , , 12.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2025
So far, the year has seen the continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudanese civil war, and the Gaza war. Internal crises in Bangladesh post-resignation v ...
, style="text-align:left;", Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, 11 , , 7 , , 21.0 , , .316 , , .154 , , .689 , , 4.6 , , .7 , , .9 , , .8 , , 7.7
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 28 , , 21 , , 25.8 , , .430 , , .313 , , .798 , , 5.2 , , 1.0 , , .9 , , 1.0 , , 11.9
Europe
Liga ACB
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2012–13
, style="text-align:left;", Cajasol Sevilla
, 7 , , 0 , , 14.9 , , .500 , , .500 , , .667 , , .7 , , .0, , .3 , , .1 , , 2.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2013–14
, style="text-align:left;", Cajasol Sevilla
, 32 , , 32 , , 14.9 , , .476 , , .333 , , .607 , , 2.8 , , .3 , , .6 , , .9 , , 6.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2014–15
, style="text-align:left;", Baloncesto Sevilla
, 34 , , 34 , , 21.7 , , .471 , , .313 , , .774 , , 4.8 , , .4 , , .9 , , 1.0 , , 10.7
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 73 , , 67 , , 17.3 , , .474 , , .326 , , .730 , , 3.5 , , .3 , , .7, , .9 , , 8.2
Personal life
Porziņģis was born to parents who had experience playing basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
. Tālis, his father, competed semi-professionally before becoming a bus driver
A bus driver, bus operator, or bus captain is a person who drives buses for a living.
Description
Bus drivers must have a special license above and beyond a regular driver's licence. Bus drivers typically drive their vehicles between bus st ...
. His mother, Ingrīda, was previously on Latvia women's youth national basketball team. His older brother, Jānis, also played professionally, while his oldest brother, Mārtiņš, who is approximately 15 years older than his youngest sibling, was also an avid player. In a 2017 '' E:60'' documentary on Porziņģis' life, his parents revealed that they had another son, Toms, who was born four years before Kristaps and died at the age of 14 months. Through an interpreter, Ingrīda said about Toms' death, "It felt like a bulldozer had run over my life. We had two other children who we had to care for. We had to live on. After Kristaps was born, it was like he had to live for two lives."
Jānis Porziņģis competed at the European second tier EuroCup level, the same level in Europe that Kristaps later played at, in one game, and played European professional club basketball in various national leagues, including the Italian League, for more than 10 years. He is known to mentor his younger brother on and off the court and often called him after playing games for Cajasol Sevilla in Spain. Porziņģis talked about the relationship in an interview, "We'd break down the details. We watched the film together. He's always pushing me to work hard. We just spend a lot of time together and we just talk about basketball all the time..." The elder Porziņģis helped him train in the summer and work out in the gym in preparation for international competition in 2012.
Following two seasons in Spain and almost two years living in Seville, Porziņģis was able to speak Spanish far more fluently. He is thus fluent in three different languages, including English. An NBA executive said, "He speaks great English and I don't see it being that difficult of a transition off the court." In October 2016, Porziņģis signed a shoe deal with Adidas
Adidas AG (; stylized in all lowercase since 1949) is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the ...
, the most lucrative deal for a European player. He made the switch to Adidas after partnering with Nike for his rookie season.
Porziņģis is a football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
fan and supports his hometown team FK Liepāja, as well as Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional Football club (association football), football club based in Madrid. The club competes in La Liga, th ...
and former club Sevilla. Porziņģis is also an avid fan of '' Counter-Strike: Global Offensive'', which he plays regularly.
In 2015, Porziņģis was named the Latvian Rising Star of the Year.
Rape allegation and possible extortion
In March 2019, it was publicly revealed that a woman accused Porziņģis of raping her at the Sky
The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the planetary surface, surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere of Earth, atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from ...
building in February 2018, hours after he tore his ACL. The woman reportedly told police she waited more than a year to come forward because she had discussed getting a $68,000 payout from Porziņģis to keep quiet. Porziņģis' attorney, Roland G. Riopelle, publicly denied the claim, and said he had previously referred the case to federal authorities due to the "accuser's extortionate demands."
See also
*
Notes
References
External links
Kristaps Porziņģis
at acb.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Porzingis, Kristaps
1995 births
Living people
Boston Celtics players
Centers (basketball)
Dallas Mavericks players
Latvian expatriate basketball people in Spain
Latvian expatriate basketball people in the United States
Latvian men's basketball players
Liga ACB players
NBA All-Stars
NBA players from Latvia
New York Knicks draft picks
New York Knicks players
Power forwards
Real Betis Baloncesto players
Sportspeople from Liepāja
Washington Wizards players