Back in June, Knicks NBA draft pick Kristaps Porzingis is reportedly not the popular choice, but he is said to be the right one. There were doubts and comparisons circling around the first round pick of Phil Jackson as Knicks president. Jackson selecting Porzingis was not happily welcomed by most fans, for boos were chanted instead of welcoming cheers.
However, with the game performance of Kristaps Porzingis last Tuesday against the Hornets, it seems like the crowd had a change of heart. With a career high of 29 points for the rookie, the crowd was chanting his name, a familiar scene when Jeremy Lin staged a performance while still playing with the Knicks.
A victory against the Hornets, with former Knicks star player Jeremy Lin on the bench, somehow ignited a fan base for Porzingis in the league. With just a single game through over-all effort and performance, Porzingis has become the new "Zingsanity," as dubbed by NY Daily News.
Early in his career, even during the pre-season, some coaches were already belittling the Latvian player. He was even skipped by the Lakers during draft, according to Coach Byron Scott, "it was going to take him some time [to develop]."
However, these criticisms did not hinder Porzingis to show off his move and prove why he should play in the NBA. He himself was even cognizant of the said reviews about him, but he never expected the drastic positive impact of those criticisms on his performance.
Porzingis admitted, via NY Daily News, that, "Yes I was. Everyone said I was a project, a few years. I will get better in a few years, but I'm ready to play right now. I wasn't expecting it to be right now."
It was never a part of Porzingis' plan to be an instant hit for Knicks fans, according to him, "Sooner or later (I thought they'd be chanting my name). I wasn't expecting it to be right now."
