Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon is ready and willing to work with Kristaps Porzingis if the call comes in.
He just doesn’t think the New York Knicks’ superstar needs his tutelage.
From the New York Post‘s Marc Berman:
Hakeem Olajuwon is now a Rockets adviser who has expressed interest in an ownership stake. So the Nigerian great no longer can run his post skills school where he once hosted Amar’e Stoudemire as a Knick.
Nevertheless, Olajuwon said he would love to work with 7-foot-3 Kristaps Porzingis, but frankly, the retired Rockets superstar doesn’t think he needs much help. Porzingis already has dabbled in attempting the “Dream Shake’’ earlier this season.
“I think [he makes it] easy,’’ Olajuwon said. “He’s very skilled, very smart. The height he has the advantage in the post. The guy that got skill in the post game, he’s already amazing. It gets much easier for him.”
Talk about high praise.
Porzingis isn’t exactly the most coordinated player in the post. His effectiveness is based more on his height and length and the ability to shoot over anyone on command than pure footwork. Still, he has progressed on the block and looks noticeably more comfortable backing down players or facing up off the dribble. He is piling on 1.03 points per post-up possession, according to NBA.com, putting him in the 75th percentile of back-to-the-basket efficiency. He could opt against making any alterations or additions to his low-block rapport and still be a lethal threat.
Great players are never satisfied with where they’re at, though. Porzingis will improve as he becomes stronger, but there’s an armory’s worth of footwork and dribble moves that he has yet to plumb. And if he wants to take his back-to-the-basket game up a notch to include more fancy footing and handling, Olajuwon is just the legend for him to work beside.
