New York Knicks: Phil Jackson Evaluates Kristaps Porzingis
Phil Jackson confidant Charley Rosen has revealed The Zen Master’s thoughts on rising New York Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis.
You won’t find many who contest the belief that Kristaps Porzingis can become the face of the New York Knicks. He’s an unprecedentedly coordinated 7’3″ big man who can defend multiple positions and do a bit of everything offensively.
For as exciting as Porzingis already is, Phil Jackson wouldn’t be The Zen Master if he weren’t picking his rising star’s game apart.
There’s a very big difference between being pessimistic and being constructively critical. Jackson is the latter, and that’s a major reason why so many around the Association believe Porzingis can achieve greatness: his support system.
According to Charley Rosen of Today’s Fastbreak, Jackson evaluated Porzingis mid-season and came away with some accurate criticisms.
"“Why is such a good shooter missing so many shots? Because his shot selection is not always good. Because many of them are taken under the pressure of the shot clock running down. Because he’s often knocked off-balance when he spins and shoots. And because he’s shooting while he’s turning instead of turning, planting and then shooting. But I’m not at all worried about his low shooting percentages. As the season progresses and he gets more familiar and more comfortable, KP’s shots will start falling.”"
Every player has room to improve, and Porzingis isn’t an exception to the rule.
The beauty of Porzingis’ game is that he sees what only great players see on the court. He knows what he needs to do and how he needs to do it, and only the special players can truly say that.
What Porzingis is still struggling with is how he executes.
In other words, Porzingis is ahead of the curve, but still encountered the expected struggles for an NBA rookie.
Porzingis rushed some things as a rookie, which Jackson alluded to. That’s a rational expectation for a first-year player, but Porzingis converted with enough consistency for one to believe that his upside is legitimate.
Jackson continued to critique Porzingis’ game, per Rosen.
"“What other specific areas does he need to concern himself with? Using his off-wing to protect the ball when he’s shooting layups in a crowd. Chinning the ball when he gets an offensive rebound instead of dribbling to gather himself for the jump. Boxing out is a problem. As is his high dribble which makes him vulnerable to turnovers.“He’s also exploring and developing ways to create his own shot — both in the pivot and on the perimeter.”"
The bottom line is this: Porzingis is developing at an extraordinary rate with the perfect people around him.
Jackson has never been cut from the cloth of letting people think what they’re doing is good enough. He’ll praise a player when they deserve to be praised, but is far more concerned with addressing their flaws to help them become better all-around players.
That’s exactly what Jackson did with the likes of Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Scottie Pippen, and it’s exactly what he’s doing with Porzingis.
Porzingis approaches the game with a mentality that’s endeared him to Knicks fans across the world. He plays his heart out, takes no plays off, and is always looking to expand his offensive game.
Jackson appears to have tapped into what motivates Porzingis, and Carmelo Anthony has emerged as a wonderful mentor.
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Porzingis’ second season can’t come soon enough.