Celtics’ Kristaps Porzingis Reflects On Growth From Knicks Days

It’s been a while since Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis was deemed the “unicorn” of the NBA.

Back then, Porzingis was an unknown diamond in the rough, playing in Latvia before getting drafted fourth overall in the 2015 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. The expectations were unknown since Porzingis’ basketball background was foreign to most United States basketball fans, but now, every fanbase in the league knows the 7-foot-3 veteran.

After eight seasons in the league, Porzingis took time to look back.

“When you’re young, you just don’t care. At least I didn’t,” Porzingis told reporters Saturday, per CLNS Media video. “I was just ignorant to everything around me and it’s, like, the most free I’ve felt almost, in a way. But also, I think that awareness is necessary. You just cannot be like that for life.”

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Joining a Celtics team filled with new faces, including many young ones, Porzingis is perfectly placed to share that wisdom and spread the sentiments of his personal experiences.

With just limited playoff experience (two series), Porzingis, like the Celtics, has plenty to play for. That motivation factor has been evident so far in what we’ve seen from Porzingis during preseason action on the floor alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

In his preseason debut against the Philadelphia 76ers, Porzingis scored 17 points and grabbed five rebounds, which doesn’t account for how effectively the 28-year-old was in getting settled with Boston.