Kristaps Porzingis is a Latvian power forward/center who plays for the Boston Celtics in the NBA. Coming from a family of athletes, Porzingis was under pressure to become not just a skilled player, but one of the best European basketball athletes. Born and raised in Liepāja, Latvia, Porzingis started competing in competitions from an early age. When he was 15, Porzingis was recruited by Liga ACB’s Real Betis as part of its junior squad, and from there on his career progressed quickly.
Porzingis began his professional career with Real Betis in 2011 and spent his first two seasons playing in the junior division. He made his debut in the main league during the 2012-13 season, where he played two more seasons before declaring for the 2015 NBA Draft. Porzingis was picked fourth overall by the New York Knicks in the 2015 Draft and made history by becoming one of the few European players to be picked in the top 10. In the 2023/24 NBA season for the Boston Celtics, Porzingis averaged a career-high 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.9 blocks per game.
Kristaps Porzingis Contract
In July 2023, Kristaps Porzingis signed a two-year $60 million contract extension with the Boston Celtics. This was just weeks after exercising his final-year $36 million player option with the Washington Wizards. He was part of the three-team trade which featured Marcus Smart being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.
In February 2022, Porzingis was traded to the Washington Wizards along with a protected 2022 second-round pick in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie and sharpshooter Davis Bertans.
In 2019, Porzingis signed a massive five-year $158.2 million guaranteed deal with the Dallas Mavericks, with an average annual salary of $31.6 million.
Porzingis signed his rookie contract with the New York Knicks in 2015. The two-year rookie deal guaranteed Porzingis $8.45 million, with a potential annual salary of $4.6 million.
Being an unproven talent, the Latvian had a lot of expectations when he came into the NBA. Soon enough though, the one-time All-Star proved to be an amazing investment by the Knicks as he averaged 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game in his rookie season.
Kristaps Porzingis is by far one of the best NBA talents and a top-tier active European talent alongside Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Lauri Markkanen, Bojan Bogdanovic, and others. Now a part of the Celtics, his presence will only boost Boston’s title hopes.
FAQs
A. Kristaps Porzingis is 7 feet 2 inches tall.
A. Kristaps Porzingis has a 7 feet 6 inch wingspan.
A. Kristaps Porzingis weighs approximately 240 lbs (108 kg).
A. Kristaps Porzingis has an estimated net worth of $30 million as of October 2024.
A. Kristaps Porzingis shot 37.5% from deep in the 2023/24 NBA season.