Kristaps Porzingis proving that Phil Jackson was wrong: The challenge is never too big for me
At his end-of-season news conference in April, then-team president Phil Jackson said he didn't think Porzingis was ready to handle the burden of being the face of the franchise
At the end of last season, former Knicks president Phil Jackson said that Kristaps Porzingis was not ready yet to lead a franchise.
And the Latvian forward is proving that Phil Jackson was wrong.
Per ESPN, At his end-of-season news conference in April, then-team president Phil Jackson said he didn't think Porzingis was ready to handle the burden of being the face of the franchise and the focal point on offense.
"No, I don't [think he's ready]. He's 21 years old. That's a big load for anybody to take on," Jackson said at the time. "But he's shown that he's competitive."
Porzingis, who skipped his exit meeting with Jackson at the end of season over frustration with the state of the franchise, said on Sunday that Jackson's remarks motivated him.
"Of course. The challenge is never too big for me," said Porzingis, 22. "I always accept the challenge and that's why I knew coming into this season [if] Melo was not going to be here, then I'm going to have to be that guy and that's why I was just [spending] 24 hours in the gym. I was preparing for this, preparing myself physically, and I'm just happy that I'm capable of playing at this level right now."
And the Latvian forward is proving that Phil Jackson was wrong.
Per ESPN, At his end-of-season news conference in April, then-team president Phil Jackson said he didn't think Porzingis was ready to handle the burden of being the face of the franchise and the focal point on offense.
"No, I don't [think he's ready]. He's 21 years old. That's a big load for anybody to take on," Jackson said at the time. "But he's shown that he's competitive."
Porzingis, who skipped his exit meeting with Jackson at the end of season over frustration with the state of the franchise, said on Sunday that Jackson's remarks motivated him.
"Of course. The challenge is never too big for me," said Porzingis, 22. "I always accept the challenge and that's why I knew coming into this season [if] Melo was not going to be here, then I'm going to have to be that guy and that's why I was just [spending] 24 hours in the gym. I was preparing for this, preparing myself physically, and I'm just happy that I'm capable of playing at this level right now."
E. Carchia
@Sportando
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