New York Knicks: 5 players for Kristaps Porzingis to study

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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 4: Kristaps Porzingis and Dirk Nowitzki of Team World practices for the 2017 Africa Game as part of the Basketball Without Borders Africa at the Ticketpro Dome on August 4, 2017 in Gauteng province of Johannesburg, South Africa. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. Dirk Nowitzki

Kristaps Porzingis spent a week of his summer learning from future first ballot Hall of Fame inductee Dirk Nowitzki. It was an incredible experience for Porzingis, who has never been one to run from the comparisons to the legendary German big man.

Although he may have learned quite a bit already, there are nuances to Nowitzki’s game that will take years of studying and understanding.

Nowitzki is the only three-point shooting big man on this list, which was done on purpose. Porzingis already has an outstanding outside shot, and patterning his game after another shooter would mean ignoring the other areas in which he must improve.

The beauty of Nowitzki’s game is that he mastered the area in which Porzingis should spend a significant amount of time: The mid-post.

Nowitzki became an MVP and NBA champion by mastering the art of the midrange jump shot. That may not be the most valued shot in today’s NBA, but if a player can consistently knock down the three-ball and work from midrange, getting to the rim will become even easier to do.

Nowitzki is known for his jump shot, but it’s the footwork and the balance that made his game as effective as it’s been for the past 19 years.

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