Knicks: Why Phil Jackson Chose Kristaps Porzingis

On Thursday, June 25, the New York Knicks forever altered the trajectory of the organization by selecting Kristaps Porzingis at No. 4 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. It was a polarizing decision that left many of New York’s faithful with nothing but bad things to say.

In case you forgot:

That’s a rough way to enter the NBA.

In the weeks that have followed, the basketball community has been struggling to define Porzingis’ game. The strengths and weaknesses are both known and established, but many still question why New York took the sharpshooting goliath at No. 4.

According to Charley Rosen of ESPN, Phil Jackson saw too much potential in Porzingis’ game and frame to not select the Latvian big man.

"“When we wound up with the fourth pick, I was hemming and hawing about how to choose,” Jackson says. “I knew there were several outstanding prospects that would be available, but I was focused on getting a big man. My decision was essentially made when Clarence Gaines, my primary adviser and a super scout, told me there was a game tape I had to watch. This turned out to be a Spanish League contest between [Baloncesto] Sevilla and a team from Barcelona, a game that Sevilla had to win to avoid being downgraded from Division I to Division II status.”The main player Gaines was promoting was Kristaps Porzingis, or “KP,” as Jackson says he liked to be called.“What I saw made up my mind” Jackson says."

Jackson continued:

"“Although the competition in the Spanish League is more physical, more consistent and more advanced than even the best D-I college teams over here, KP more than held his own. He had a long, lively body, a well-developed basketball IQ, a soft shot with terrific range and he didn’t back down from anybody. Plus, he showed an amazing athleticism for somebody his size.”"

Jackson was essentially as intrigued as the rest of the basketball community by Porzingis’ upside.

Porzingis stands at 7’1.5″ without shoes, which was enough to capture the attention of every NBA Draft writer. The fact that he’s an outstanding shooter with the ability to put the ball on the floor only solidified his spot as a potential Top 10 draft pick.

With intriguing defensive upside as a shot-blocker who moves his feet well, the general consensus is that he can be as good as his work ethic permits.

There’s inevitable risk in investing in Porzingis, specifically in the fact that he’s perceived as too thin to bang bodies in the paint. Jackson told Rosen that Porzingis is, however, looking to pack on 10 pounds before the start of the 2014-15 season.

If Porzingis is able to do so while maintaining his agility, he could be a genuine threat sooner than later.

Even if he doesn’t develop elite core strength, Porzingis’ size and versatility will be tough to overcome. He’ll get by on those skills for most of his career, and could become a star if he develops both physically and in his consistency as a shot-creator.

There are a lot of, “Ifs,” but that’s what the NBA Draft is all about.

Porzingis could become a star or he could be a bust, which could be said for every player selected. There’s a smaller margin of error when a Top 5 draft pick is playing in New York, but that doesn’t mean Porzingis is doomed from the start.

Hyperbole aside, the sky is the limit for the man known as KP6. Jackson thought the same thing when he drafted him.

Next: The Knicks are reportedly interested in Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio

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