New York Knicks: Kristaps Porzingis Embracing Unicorn Nickname
New York Knicks power forward Kristaps Porzingis is embracing the nickname that Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant gave him: The Unicorn.
When Kevin Durant called Kristaps Porzingis a unicorn, not many knew how to respond. At first glance, the nickname isn’t exactly on the same level as The Answer, The Truth, The Black Mamba, The Big Fundamental, The King, or His Airness.
Roughly a year later, Durant’s nickname for the New York Knicks star appears to be as fitting and appropriate as any.
Porzingis is an athletic and coordinated 7’3″ power forward who can shoot, handle the ball, go to the post, and block shots without leaving his feet. Thus, it’s hard to label him as anything other than an anomaly—or, in this instance, a Unicorn.
According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, Porzingis is embracing the nickname that Durant gave him and Phil Jackson recently called him by.
“That’s how KD saw me last year, as a unicorn coming into the league at 7-3 who could shoot, and the same thing with Phil,’’ Porzingis said. “So I guess that’s the right word to explain what I’m able to do on the court.”
When one considers everything Porzingis brings to the table, unicorn isn’t such a bad word to describe him with.
Porzingis isn’t just tall, athletic, and skilled; he’s already producing at levels the NBA had never seen before. In 2015-16, he became the first rookie in NBA history to record at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 100 blocks, and 75 3-point field goals.
Against the Los Angeles Lakers, Porzingis made two measures of history. The first:
The second:
It's true! Kristaps is the first since 1983 https://t.co/d7cxlrRNjZ https://t.co/FN7XS0flKB
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) December 12, 2016
It may not be the most conventional of nicknames, but Porzingis is embracing his status as the NBA’s unicorn: a player you have to see believe.
The only player who compares to Porzingis directly is European legend Arvydas Sabonis. Sabonis, of course, made his NBA debut at the age of 30, which inevitably limited the greatness that fans of the Association were exposed to.
Regardless of who you believe is an appropriate comparison, one thing is clear: Porzingis is a special player.
With Kevin Durant and Phil Jackson agreeing that Kristaps Porzingis is the NBA’s version of a unicorn, the 21-year-old phenom is embracing the nickname.
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