Kevin Garnett apparently has a soft spot for New York Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis.
When Porzingis was drafted fourth overall at the 2015 prospect pageant, it was to the dismay of many Knicks fans. People booed. They jeered. One poor soul cried on camera.
The initial displeasure was twofold. Most casual fans had just never seen the Latvian product play. They didn’t know what to expect, and people tend to fear what they don’t expect. Others, much like myself, didn’t trust the Knicks’ player development. Porzingis was a megastar talent that needed grooming, and New York has never been known for its patience or practical outlooks.
Porzingis has put those doubters to shame early on during his rookie season. He has the best net rating of any Knicks player to log more than 20 total minutes, per NBA.com, and he’s proving to be more of an immediate contributor on both ends of the floor than a years-long project.
At least some of his success is owed to his confidence. The 20-year-old 7’3″ giant is a diligent worker and remains unafraid of the moment. He embraces the hustle and bustle and spotlight of New York, which bodes well for both the Knicks and himself in the coming years.
Of course, getting booed on draft night has to resonate with you, even if only somewhat. Porzingis was quick to say he would turn those boos into cheers, but it couldn’t have felt great to land somewhere that, at first, didn’t seem to want you.
Good thing, then, that Garnett was there shortly after, at the Las Vegas Summer League, to offer some pearls of wisdom, according to the New York Post‘s Marc Berman:
So who gave an important pep talk to 7-3 Latvian rookie Kristaps Porzingis in July after Knicks fans booed their selection at No. 4? KG — as in Kevin Garnett.
During the Las Vegas summer league, the Knicks were heading to a morning shootaround and the Timberwolves were leaving the court. Garnett was helping out the Wolves in his role as player/sage adviser and came across the fellow skinny big man.
Garnett is known more for trash-talking than helping out opponents, but he stopped Porzingis.
“You hear the boos and KG gave me great advice,’’ Porzingis said at the Knicks’ morning shootaround before scoring eight points, grabbing eight rebounds and securing six blocks in the Knicks’ 100-91 loss to the Magic at the Amway Center. “He came up to me in the summer league and (said): ‘Use that as motivation. Just let that drive you every day when you step on the floor.’ That’s what I’m trying to do. I don’t focus on it. It’s not the only thing that drives me and it still sits inside me. I just want to prove those fans wrong, prove I could be a good player.’’
Basically, Porzingis is saying that the Knicks and their fans owe part of his insane work ethic and obsession with instant success to Kevin Garnett, the man known for getting under the skin of players he doesn’t call teammates, not fueling the early stages of their ostensible rise to superstardom.
What a world.
