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New York Knicks: Kristaps Porzingis is training with Dirk Nowitzki

By Maxwell Ogden

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - AUGUST 3: Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks and Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks goes through a workout as part of Basketball Without Borders Africa at the American International School of Johannesburg on August 3, 2017 in Gauteng province of Johannesburg, South Africa. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - AUGUST 3: Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks and Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks goes through a workout as part of Basketball Without Borders Africa at the American International School of Johannesburg on August 3, 2017 in Gauteng province of Johannesburg, South Africa. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The training session that New York Knicks fans have been waiting for has finally arrived. Kristaps Porzingis recently worked out with Dirk Nowitzki.

Since he surfaced on the NBA Draft radar, Kristaps Porzingis has garnered consistent comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki. The New York Knicks phenom stands over 7’0″, can shoot the lights out, and is both white and European—the qualifications for the Nowitzki stereotype.

As European big men flood the NBA, however, few players have done more to justify the Nowitzki comparison than Porzingis.

Porzingis expressed in March that he was hopeful that he and Nowitzki could find time to train together during the summer of 2017. It was an admirable goal for a player who hasn’t run from the comparisons to the greatest European player in NBA history.

In a post to his official Instagram account, Porzingis revealed that he’s checked one of the boxes on his list of goals for the offseason.

The official NBA Twitter account released video of the two trading shots.

Spending time with Nowitzki in Johannesburg for the 2017 NBA Africa Game is undeniably great exposure.

Since the Knicks selected Porzingis at No. 4 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, he’s made good on the promise Phil Jackson and Clarence Gaines Jr. saw in him. There’s still work to be done, but the 7’3″ phenom has flashed otherworldly potential.

That includes the ability to convert the same beautiful shots as Nowitzki.

He’s shown no hesitation in letting Nowitzki know about it.

Porzingis is now receiving the opportunity to learn from Nowitzki in a closed gym.

In 2015-16, Porzingis became the first rookie in NBA history to record at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 100 blocks, and 75 3-point field goals made. In 2016-17, he became the first player in franchise history to record at least 100 blocks and 100 3-point field goals made in a single season.

In Johannesburg, Porzingis will gain perspective on how to turn statistics into success from an NBA champion, Finals MVP, and league MVP in Nowitzki.

Must Read: What the wild offseason means for the future of the Knicks

With Dirk Nowitzki as a mentor, Kristaps Porzingis could soon acquire the necessary knowledge as to how to return the New York Knicks to relevance.

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