New York Knicks: David Fizdale building bond with Kristaps Porzingis

New York Knicks head coach David Fizdale explained the reason he took the trip to Latvia and how his meeting with Kristaps Porzingis will help him as a coach.

The New York Knicks are trusting head coach David Fizdale to learn from the mistakes that were made in Memphis. Most agree that Fizdale got the short end of the stick from the Memphis Grizzlies, but he’ll tell you himself that his transgressions played a factor.

Rather than allowing his failed relationship with franchise player Marc Gasol to be perceived as a slight, Fizdale is ensuring that said issues won’t repeat themselves.

Fizdale was reportedly fired by the Grizzlies due to his inability to get on the same page as Gasol. Whether or not you believe that’s fair, the reality of the NBA is that a coach who can’t convince their main star to buy in is destined to fail.

According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, Fizdale recently told Latvian television network LSM that his trip to Latvia was an attempt to address that issue at its root.

"“The NBA is a small world and you kinda know people from afar. But this trip is more about getting to know him intimately. Know his family, know where he’s from, kinda get to see what made him ‘Kristaps,'” Fizdale said in an interview with Latvian television network LSM."

Kristaps Porzingis isn’t Marc Gasol, but this is an example of what should make Fizdale successful: A willingness to take accountability for his actions.

In a global sport, it’s inevitable that individuals with entirely different backgrounds will cross paths. That’s what transpired in Memphis, when Fizdale, an African-American man from Los Angeles, was tasked with coaching Gasol, a native of Spain who moved to Memphis as a teenager.

It’s unclear how much of a role their different backgrounds played, but Fizdale seems to believe that a better understanding of his European star’s roots would’ve helped.

Fizdale is making significant progress towards preventing a repeat of said issue by basing his understanding of Porzingis on both his past and present day life.

Going to where Porzingis grew up will give Fizdale an idea of what type of culture he’s accustomed to growing in. It will also enable him to meet his franchise player’s family and earn their trust—a crucial step towards being able to lead through thick and thin.

If Fizdale is able to do so, treating his franchise player the same way as the 15th player on the main roster will become possible—and a winning culture will be enabled.

New York Knicks head coach David Fizdale has his skeptics, but he’s doing everything in his power to avoid repeating past mistakes.