Kristaps Porziņģis facts for kids

"Porzingis" redirects here. For his brother, see Jānis Porziņģis. For other uses, see Porziņģis.

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Quick facts for kids
Kristaps Porziņģis
No. 8 – Atlanta Hawks
Porziņģis with the Boston Celtics in 2024
Power forward / center
Personal information
Born	(1995-08-02) 2 August 1995 (age 29) Liepāja, Latvia
Listed height	7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
Listed weight	240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2015 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall
Selected by the New York Knicks
Pro career	2012–present
League	NBA
Career history
2012–2015	Sevilla
2012–2013	→Sevilla B
2015–2019	New York Knicks
2019–2022	Dallas Mavericks
2022–2023	Washington Wizards
2023–2025	Boston Celtics
2025–present	Atlanta Hawks

Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2024) NBA All-Star (2018) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2016) EuroCup Rising Star (2015) 2× ACB All-Young Players Team (2014, 2015)

Kristaps Porziņģis is a professional basketball player from Latvia. He plays for the Atlanta Hawks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing at 7 feet 2 inches tall, he is known as "The Unicorn" because he can shoot three-pointers and make plays like a smaller player, even though he is a center or power forward.

Born in Liepāja, Latvia, Porziņģis started his professional career with Sevilla in Spain in 2012. He quickly became a key player for the team. In 2015, he won the EuroCup Basketball Rising Star award, becoming the youngest player ever to receive it at age 19. The next summer, he joined the NBA draft and was chosen fourth overall by the New York Knicks.

In New York, Porziņģis was seen as a future star and was even selected as an All-Star in 2018. However, he was later traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 2019. In Dallas, he faced injuries and inconsistent play. He was then traded to the Washington Wizards in 2022, where he played very well. In 2023, he moved to the Boston Celtics. He won an NBA championship with the Celtics in 2024. In 2025, he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks.

Early Basketball Journey

Kristaps Porziņģis started playing basketball at age six, just like his parents. When he was 12, his older brother, Jānis, who was a professional player in Europe, took him to special training sessions. He played for youth teams in his hometown of Liepāja until he was 15.

In 2010, a Spanish club called Baloncesto Sevilla invited Porziņģis for a tryout. He was 6 feet 8 inches tall at the time. He signed a contract with them in the summer of 2010. At first, he had some health issues, like anemia, which made him tired. He also found it hard to learn Spanish in Seville. But he worked through these challenges and got better.

Playing for Youth Teams

Porziņģis played his first game for Sevilla's youth team on January 4, 2012. He scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. The next day, he scored a personal best of 16 points. He finished that tournament averaging 9.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks.

He played in the same tournament again in early 2013. He was even better this time, averaging 16.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks. He also shot well from three-point range. This was his last time playing for Sevilla's youth teams.

Professional Career in Europe

Sevilla (2012–2015)

First Steps in Pro Basketball

In the 2012–13 ACB season, Porziņģis got a chance to play for Sevilla's main team. He played his first game on September 29, 2012. On January 16, 2013, he played in the EuroCup for the first time. He scored his first points for the senior team on February 20. He said he was very nervous at first but gained confidence. On May 4, he scored a season-high seven points.

Growing as a Player

Porziņģis started his second season strong in November 2013, scoring 12 points, six rebounds, and four blocks in a game. On November 30, 2013, he broke his scoring record against Real Madrid. On April 6, 2014, he scored a career-high 20 points, which made him popular on social media. In May 2014, he was chosen for the ACB All-Young Players Team.

In April 2014, Porziņģis thought about joining the 2014 NBA draft. NBA teams like the Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder were interested in him. However, he decided to wait and withdrew his name from the draft. He wanted to develop his skills more before joining the NBA.

Becoming a Rising Star

Before the 2014–15 ACB season, Sevilla got a new coach. Porziņģis played his first EuroCup game of the season on October 15, 2014. He had a great EuroCup game later, scoring 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks. In mid-November, he had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

On February 11, 2015, he scored a season-high 19 points in the EuroCup. Three days later, he was named the winner of the EuroCup Basketball Rising Star Award. He was also named to the ACB All-Young Players Team again.

Joining the NBA

New York Knicks (2015–2019)

Porziņģis during 2015 NBA Summer League

On April 16, 2015, Porziņģis officially entered the 2015 NBA draft. After gaining more experience, he was seen as a top pick. He was compared to great players like Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki.

On June 25, 2015, the New York Knicks selected Porziņģis as the fourth overall pick. Some fans booed him at first, but he promised to change their minds. He became the highest-drafted player from Latvia and the Baltic region in NBA history.

Rookie Season (2015–16)

Porziņģis on October 31, 2015, in his third NBA game

Porziņģis signed his first NBA contract on July 30, 2015. In his NBA debut on October 28, he scored 16 points. On November 21, he had 24 points, 14 rebounds, and seven blocked shots. He was the first 20-year-old since Shaquille O'Neal to achieve such stats.

He was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for October/November, December, and January. On February 12, 2016, he scored 30 points in the Rising Stars Challenge. He finished his rookie season averaging 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. He came in second for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Promising Years (2016–18)

On November 16, 2016, Porziņģis scored a career-high 35 points. On December 11, he had 26 points, 12 rebounds, and seven blocks. In January 2017, he won the Skills Challenge during the All-Star Weekend.

In the next season, on October 19, 2017, he had 31 points and 12 rebounds. On October 30, he scored a career-high 38 points. On November 5, he set a new career-high with 40 points. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. His strong play continued, and on January 23, 2018, Porziņģis was named an Eastern Conference All-Star.

However, on February 6, 2018, Porziņģis suffered a serious injury, tearing his left ACL. This meant he would miss the rest of the season.

Injury and Recovery (2018–19)

Due to his ACL injury, Porziņģis did not play for the Knicks at the start of the 2018–19 NBA season.

Dallas Mavericks (2019–2022)

On January 31, 2019, Porziņģis was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He spent the rest of the 2018–19 NBA season recovering from his injury. On July 12, he signed a five-year contract with the Mavericks.

Playoff Debut (2019–20)

Porziņģis played his first game for the Mavericks on October 23, 2019, scoring 23 points. On January 31, 2020, he scored a season-high 35 points. Three days later, he scored 38 points. On March 1, he matched his season-high with 38 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks. He was named Western Conference Player of the Week.

On July 31, Porziņģis scored a season-high 39 points and 16 rebounds in the Orlando bubble. He averaged 30.5 points in the bubble games.

On August 17, Porziņģis made his NBA playoff debut. He played well in the first few games but then missed the rest of the series due to a knee injury. The Mavericks were eliminated in six games.

Playoff Challenges (2020–21)

Porziņģis had surgery on his knee in October 2020 and missed the first nine games of the 2020-21 NBA season. He returned on January 13, 2021. On February 12, he scored a season-high 36 points. On March 26, he grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds. He finished the season averaging 20.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.

However, his performance dropped in the playoffs. The Mavericks lost in the first round again. There were rumors that Porziņģis wanted to be traded, but he stayed and trained hard for the next season.

Final Season in Dallas (2021–22)

The 2021 offseason was the first time Porziņģis was not recovering from an injury since joining the NBA. He started the 2021–22 NBA season on October 21, 2021. He missed some games with back tightness but returned on November 6. On November 12, he scored a season-high 32 points. On December 27, he had 34 points. On January 23, 2022, he recorded a season-high six blocks. He played his final game as a Maverick on January 29.

Washington Wizards (2022–2023)

Porziņģis playing for the Washington Wizards in 2022

On February 10, 2022, Porziņģis was traded to the Washington Wizards. He played his first game for the Wizards on March 6, scoring 25 points. On March 19, he helped the Wizards win a comeback game against the Los Angeles Lakers. On March 30, he scored a season-high 35 points. The Wizards did not make the playoffs that season.

In the 2022–23 NBA season, on November 12, 2022, Porziņģis had 31 points and 10 rebounds. On November 28, he scored a career-high 41 points. In the next game, he had 27 points and a career-high 19 rebounds. On January 2, 2023, he was named NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week. On March 8, he scored a career-high 43 points. He averaged a career-high 23.2 points per game, but the Wizards missed the playoffs again.

Boston Celtics (2023–2025)

First NBA Championship (2023–24)

On June 23, 2023, Porziņģis was traded to the Boston Celtics. He chose to wear number 8 because his usual number 6 was retired for Bill Russell. On July 12, he signed a two-year contract extension.

Porziņģis made his Celtics debut on October 25, 2023, scoring 30 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks. His 30 points set a record for the most points scored in a Celtics debut. On December 28, he had a season-high 35 points. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week near the end of the regular season.

The Celtics made the playoffs as the top team in the Eastern Conference. Porziņģis suffered a calf injury in Game 4 of the first round on April 29, 2024. He missed the next two series. He returned for Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals on June 6, scoring 20 points. In Game 2, he got a new leg injury. Despite missing more games, he returned for Game 5 on June 17 and helped the Celtics win their 18th championship.

Recovery from Injury (2024–25)

On June 27, 2024, Porziņģis had surgery for his leg injury. He was expected to be out for five to six months, missing the start of the 2024–25 NBA season.

After missing the first month, Porziņģis made his season debut on November 25, 2024. He scored 16 points and helped the Celtics win.

Atlanta Hawks (2025–present)

On June 25, 2025, it was reported that Porziņģis was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal. The trade was officially announced on July 7, 2025.

Playing for Latvia

Junior National Team

Porziņģis played for the Latvian youth team. He was selected for the 2013 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship All-Tournament Team.

Senior National Team

In 2017, Porziņģis played for the Latvian national team at EuroBasket 2017. He was one of the top scorers and blockers in the tournament. Latvia was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Slovenia, even though Porziņģis scored 34 points in that game.

After five years, Porziņģis returned to play for the national team in August 2022 for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers. He played very well, averaging 25.5 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game in two games.

Player Style

Porziņģis has been compared to Dirk Nowitzki because both are tall European players who can shoot from far away. Kevin Durant called Porziņģis a "unicorn" because he is very tall (over 7 feet) but can also shoot and move like a smaller player. This combination of size and skill makes him unique. He can shoot over most defenders because of his height. More recently, other tall players like Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren have joined the league with similar playing styles.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015–16	New York	72	72	28.4	.421	.333	.838	7.3	1.3	.7	1.9	14.3
2016–17	New York	66	65	32.8	.450	.357	.786	7.2	1.5	.7	2.0	18.1
2017–18	New York	48	48	32.4	.439	.395	.793	6.6	1.2	.8	2.4	22.7
2019–20	Dallas	57	57	31.8	.427	.352	.799	9.5	1.8	.7	2.0	20.4
2020–21	Dallas	43	43	30.9	.476	.376	.855	8.9	1.6	.5	1.3	20.1
2021–22	Dallas	34	34	29.5	.451	.283	.865	7.7	2.0	.7	1.7	19.2
2021–22	Washington	17	17	28.2	.475	.367	.871	8.8	2.9	.7	1.5	22.1
2022–23	Washington	65	65	32.6	.498	.385	.851	8.4	2.7	.9	1.5	23.2
2023–24	Boston	57	57	29.6	.516	.375	.858	7.2	2.0	.7	1.9	20.1
2024–25	Boston	42	42	28.8	.483	.412	.809	6.8	2.1	.7	1.5	19.5
Career		501	500	30.8	.461	.366	.829	7.8	1.8	.7	1.8	19.6

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2020	Dallas	3	3	31.5	.525	.529	.870	8.7	.7	.0	1.0	23.7
2021	Dallas	7	7	33.3	.472	.296	.842	5.4	1.3	1.3	.7	13.1
2024	Boston	7	4	23.5	.467	.345	.909	4.4	1.1	.7	1.6	12.3
2025	Boston	11	7	21.0	.316	.154	.689	4.6	.7	.9	.8	7.7
Career		28	21	25.8	.430	.313	.798	5.2	1.0	.9	1.0	11.9

Europe

Liga ACB

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2012–13	Cajasol Sevilla	7	0	14.9	.500	.500	.667	.7	.0	.3	.1	2.6
2013–14	Cajasol Sevilla	32	32	14.9	.476	.333	.607	2.8	.3	.6	.9	6.7
2014–15	Baloncesto Sevilla	34	34	21.7	.471	.313	.774	4.8	.4	.9	1.0	10.7
Career		73	67	17.3	.474	.326	.730	3.5	.3	.7	.9	8.2

About Kristaps

Porziņģis in 2017

Kristaps Porziņģis comes from a family of basketball players. His father, Tālis, played semi-professionally, and his mother, Ingrīda, was on Latvia's youth national basketball team. His older brother, Jānis, played professionally in Europe for over 10 years. Jānis often helped Kristaps with his training and gave him advice.

After living in Spain for almost two years, Porziņģis learned to speak Spanish fluently. This means he can speak three languages: Latvian, Spanish, and English. In October 2016, he signed a big shoe deal with Adidas.

Porziņģis is also a big fan of soccer. He supports his hometown team FK Liepāja, as well as Real Madrid and Sevilla. He also enjoys playing the video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

In 2015, Porziņģis was named the Latvian Rising Star of the Year.

Images for kids

Porziņģis with the Boston Celtics in 2024
Porziņģis during 2015 NBA Summer League
Porziņģis on October 31, 2015, in his third NBA game
Porziņģis in 2020
Porziņģis in action against the Indiana Pacers in 2022
Porziņģis in 2017