Kristaps Porzingis (also known as “The Zinger”) is the true mystery in the draft. He can go anywhere between #2 to the Lakers to out of the top five. The more scouts see of this Latvian protégée, the more they seem to like him. His stock has risen so much that he surpassed the other international prospect Emmanuel Mudiay (who was a top-5 lock for months) in most draft projections. But will the 7 footers’ game translate well to the higher competition of the NBA? Let’s take a look back in history and see how Porginzis compares to previous European prospects, specifically European big men.
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Apr 23, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Pau Gasol
Gasol is one of the most versatile big men in the NBA. He can put the ball on the floor, knock down a jumper, play pick and roll, and score with the back to the basket. For the earlier parts of his career, Gasol was deemed “soft”, which is a criticism that Porzingis may have to deal with. The Lakers primarily used Gasol as their low-post threat late in games, where he beat guys off the dribble and used a soft touch to get the ball into the basket. This responsibility Porzingis most likely will not have to deal with, as he is deemed as a stretch four. Porzingis has a better stroke and is overall more athletic than Gasol. As a result, his ceiling seems higher than the 7 foot Spaniard.
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