When Kristaps Porzingis was drafted by the Knicks, he was seen as a long-term project. On one hand, he had all the tools needed to succeed in a league where floor spacing comes at a premium. On the other, he lacked the strength and experience needed to make an immediate impact for a franchise desperately looking for a glimmer of hope. It didn’t help that he was also trying to shake the all-too-easy comparison to Andrea Bargnani, even if it was misguided from the start.
Porzingis had his ups and downs during his rookie campaign, but it quickly became clear he has the ability to be an impactful player in the NBA sooner than anyone expected.