New York Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis continues to play at an elite clip to start this season and everyone has taken notice—especially Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony is like most in thinking Porzingis would need a few years to grow into the dominant player many thought he could be. From the early returns this season, though, he’s moving well ahead of schedule.
This unexpected development is something Anthony touched on in an interview with ESPN’s Ian Begley:
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. 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.
It’s hard to avoid being just as impressed as Anthony. Porzingis averages 20.2 points per game right now, which doesn’t do his play justice. He’s hitting 49.5 percent of his shots from the floor and 39 percent from long range.
His recent 35-point outburst says it all:
A career-high 35 from @KPorzee leads the @NYKnicks at home! #Knicks pic.twitter.com/VZ2vyvZj0p
— NBA (@NBA) November 17, 2016
The Knicks sit on a 6-7 record and won’t come close to the hype of another notable rebuilding franchise such as the Log Angeles Lakers. But it’s important to keep tabs on New York given Porzingis’ rapid development.
Given a solid rookie campaign and an epic start to this year, it’s clear the Knicks have won big on the gamble at No. 4 in the 2015 NBA draft. The trick now is continuing to surround the 21-year-old star with quality talent.
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