Kristaps Porzingis Is A Lot More NBA Ready Than Expected

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Kristaps Porzingis is escorted onto the stage with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number four overall pick to the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

When Kristaps Porzingis’ name was called out to signify that the New York Knicks were selecting him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, one sound rang louder than the rest among the Barclays Center crowd: Boos.

From the sobbing, selfie-taking kid to the hordes of furious orange and blue clad men, a large faction of the Knicks fan base had no trouble making their frustration with the pick known.

Sure, no one was doubting the lanky Latvian’s immense potential. That much was evident from watching videos of the seven footer stroke jump shots with pin point precision.

What threw people off was his rawness, and how he represented a project as opposed to a ready-made product. With the Madison Square Garden faithful a notoriously impatient bunch and Carmelo Anthony’s window as an elite player slowly shutting, the general feeling was that the Knicks simply don’t have enough time to commit to a risky prospect.

Not to be deterred, Porzingis has seemingly blocked out the boos, impressing greatly with his Summer League performances. He certainly isn’t close to being a finished product, but he appears to be significantly more NBA-ready than initially thought.

Next: Shining at Summer League