PROFESSIONAL CAREER

Kristaps Porzingis (KRIS-taps Por-ZING-is) was acquired by Dallas in a blockbuster seven-player trade with New York on July 31, 2019. He holds career averages of 18.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 2.0 blocks and 31.2 minutes per game in 243 games (242 starts) with New York and Dallas.

Porzingis (7-3, 240) was selected by New York with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft after beginning his career overseas with Spain’s Cajasol Seville. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team with the Knicks in 2015-16 and finished second to Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns in voting for the Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Award.

As a 21-year-old in 2016-17, Porzingis became one of three players in NBA history, 22 years or younger, to make 100-plus 3-pointers and block 100-plus shots in a season (Dirk Nowitzki, 2000-01; Karl-Anthony Towns, 2016-17 and 2017-18). He was named an All-Star in 2018 but did not play due to injury.

Porzingis has earned Player of the Week honors twice in his career (Eastern Conference POW, Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, 2017; Western Conference POW, Feb. 24 to March 1, 2020). In 2019-20, “The Unicorn” became the fastest player to 400-plus 3-pointers made and 400-plus blocks in NBA history (233 games). He also became one of five players in league history to record at least 4,000 points, 1,500 rebounds, 400 3-pointers made and 400 blocks before his 25th birthday (LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Tracy McGrady, Towns). Porzingis has produced the only two games with at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and five 3-pointers made in NBA history (37 points, 11 rebounds, five blocks and five 3s vs. the L.A. Lakers on Dec. 12, 2017; 38 points, 13 boards, five blocks and six 3s at Minnesota on March 1, 2020).

BEFORE NBA

A native of Liepaja, Latvia, Porzingis played in youth competition with BK Liepajas Lauvas until he was 15 years old. When he made his NBA debut in 2015-16, he became the third Latvian-born player in league history (Gundars Vetra, Andris Biedrins).

Kristaps Porziņģis