After playing his first game against Kristaps Porzingis, Dirk Nowitzki admits comparisons with the New York Knicks rookie sensation are “more than fair”.
The Dallas Mavericks had to withstand a fourth-quarter assault by Porzingis, who scored 12 points in the final frame to notch a game-high 28 on 13, bettering Nowitzki’s 25 points.
The Knicks lost 104-97, but Porzingis once again showed why he’s one of the most exciting young players in the game.
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The 20-year-old Latvian often draws comparisons to Nowitzki, with both players possessing a dangerous shooting stroke while towering over seven feet in height.
Though Nowitzki is a lock to be a Hall of Famer and Porzingis is only 22 games into his career, the Mavericks legend isn’t denying those comparisons.
“It’s more than fair,” Nowitzki said. “He’s probably way ahead of the curve. When I was 20, I was scared to death out there.
“He’s almost averaging a double-double, so he’s way better than I was at 20. So the comparison’s probably unfair to me.”
After being greeted with boos by Knicks fan at the NBA Draft in June, Porzingis has won over
Gotham with his early play.
He leads all rookies with 10 double-doubles, ranking third in scoring with 14.6 points per game and second in rebounding with an average of 8.9 boards.
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He’s been even better in December, averaging 19.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 61.2 per cent shooting from the field and 63.6 shooting on 3-pointers.
“He’s for real,” Nowitzki added. “We’ve said it before. He’s tougher than you think. He’s long. He’s athletic. He can put the ball on the floor.
“The sky’s the limit for this kid, not only because he’s good but also because I heard he lives and breathes basketball. He stays in the gym, he works hard and doesn’t let all this hype here get to his head.”
Porzingis hasn’t immediately turned the Knicks into a force as they currently hold a losing 10-12 record, but he has given the New York faithful the most hope for the future they’ve had in some time.
