Knicks: How Kristaps Porzingis Can Make NBA History

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA;

(SPN) reacts after being selected as the number four overall pick to the Miami Heat in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The general and logical expectation for New York Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis is that he’ll need time to develop. For as skilled and physically imposing as he may be, the 20-year-old power forward is still a work in progress.

But what if he isn’t?

There’s a reasonably realistic chance that Porzingis could win Rookie of the Year in 2015-16. It’d require good health and a performance beyond his immediate expectations, but that isn’t necessarily an impossibility.

There’s more tantalizing upside than established dominance, but the same can be said for every other rookie until proven otherwise.

Whether or not he wins the award, Porzingis could have a rookie season of long-term significance. That starts with his being the third Latvian-born player in NBA history after fellow countrymen Gundars Vetra and Andris Biedrins.

Beyond representing his country, Porzingis has a realistic shot at working his way into the record books. Not all goals will be achieved, but each one is attainable.

The question is, will he do it?

Next: A Little Tim Duncan