By Miles Park ’16, Section Editor

A unicorn is a mythological creature that resembles a horse with a singular horn coming out of its head and magical powers. It is also a finance term used to denote a start-up company whose value has exceeded $1 billion. It is also what Kevin Durant compared New York Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis to when the Thunder star said Monday, “He can shoot, he can make the right plays, he can defend, he’s a 7-footer that can shoot all the way out to the 3-point line. That’s rare. And block shots — that’s like a unicorn in this league”[1]. While he might not yet be worth $1 billion or have a horn, Porzingis’ impact over his short time in New York has been nothing short of magical.

While fellow top selections in the 2015 NBA draft Karl Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor were battling for the NCAA National Title on National Television, Kristaps Porzingis remained something of a myth. The Latvian born teenager had been coming off the bench for Cajasol Sevilla of the ACB league in Spain and had only been seen in action by few around the NBA. While scouts raved about his size and potential, the general consensus was that he was a project with star potential but not ready for the NBA. Many saw his thin frame as evidence that NBA big men would bully him and others compared him to other European imports like Darko Milicic, who had failed in the NBA. Yet all things considered, Porzingis’ potential was undeniable and he drew interest from the Laker at No. 2 before being selected by the Knicks at No. 4. Boos rained down from the New York crowd when Porzingis’ name was announced with the New Yorkers loudly expressing their displeasure with the selection. Yet Porzingis appeared largely unfazed as he smiled and vowed to win over the New York crowd saying “I mean, a lot of fans weren’t happy that they drafted me, but I have to do everything that’s in my hands to turn those booing fans into clapping fans”[2].

Porzingis joined the Knicks at a unique transitory juncture. The team had gone all in to build around forwards Carmelo Anthony and Amaré Stoudemire, but Stoudemire had been ravaged by injuries before being waved and the team had topped out at the 2013 conference semifinals before collapsing over the next two seasons. Legendary coach Phil Jackson had taken over as the team president in early 2014, but what did Jackson have to work with? He had convinced Carmelo Anthony to sign a 5-year extension but the Knicks’ star was now 31 and had dealt with injuries of his own. Outside of Anthony the Knicks roster was shockingly bereft of talent due to poor drafting and management that had become typical of the Knicks. Additionally, the Knicks had been unable to lure star free agents like LaMarcus Aldridge to New York in the offseason and practically gave away their 2016 first round pick in the laughable Andrea Bargnani trade leaving one reasonable path to a start to pair with Anthony: Kristaps Porzingis.

So far this season Porzingis has exceeded even the most optimistic expectations. As Knick fan Sam Goldenring ’16 puts it, “No one knew what to expect from him, but nobody expected him to be this good, this soon.” Many thought Porzingis would need time to develop on the sidelines before getting his opportunity, but coach Derrick Fischer immediately inserted Porzingis into the starting lineup and the rookie has played in all 47 of the Knicks games thus far, averaging 28 minutes per game. Even more impressively, Porzingis has excelled since day 1 averaging 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. At this point in the season Porzingis is neck and neck with #1 overall pick Karl Anthony Towns in the race for the Rookie of the Year award and has quickly fulfilled his vow to win over the Knicks’ faithful to become one of the most beloved athletes the city has seen in years. Porzingis’ star has risen so quickly that an element of mania reminiscent of “Linsanity” has returned to Madison Square Garden. Porzingis fever has been so strong that Porzingis’ jersey is the 4^th highest selling jersey league-wide behind only superstars Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant.

Yet while what he has done has been impressive, what really gets Knick fans excited is what Kristaps Porzingis could become. At just 20 years old, Porzingis has already flashed the skillset to become a star on both the offensive and defensive end of the floor. Porzingis stands in stark contrast to the Knicks inter-city rivals, the Nets, who are in an abjectly terrible position with an awful team and no hope to speak of. Meanwhile, the Knicks, who have not had a homegrown superstar since Patrick Ewing was drafted in 1985 and who haven’t won an NBA title since 1973, are suddenly dreaming that Porzingis can take them to the promised land. As the optimistic Jack Szlosek ’18 puts it, “Kristaps could be the greatest Knick ever.” So as the Knicks chase their first playoff birth in 3 years, the unicorn within their ranking has them dreaming much, much bigger.

[1] http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14646731/kevin-durant-oklahoma-city-thunder-dubs-kristaps-porzingis-new-york-knicks-unicorn-size-skill

[2] http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/kristaps-porzingis-hears-your-boos–knicks-fans–and-wants-to-make-you-believe-014520591.html