Check out all of our NBA Draft Profiles here.
With the NBA draft approaching, FantasyPros will be rolling out draft profiles for some of the big name prospects available. We will be breaking down their talents while examining the likely landing spots and expectations for their future in the NBA and fantasy. Without further ado, here is our look at Kristaps Porzingis.
Be sure to check out our NBA News Desk
The 19-year-old Latvian power forward, Kristaps Porzingis, heads the list of the top international prospects for the 2015 NBA draft. Porzingis played youth basketball in the Latvian Basketball League before signing with CB Sevilla of Liga ACB, the top tier Spanish basketball league. In 2014 and 2015, Porzingis was selected to the ACB All-Young Players team, which honors the best players under 22 years old. Porzingis also played in the 2015 Eurocup earning the Rising Star award.
After a 2014 season in which he averaged 6.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in only 14.7 minutes per game, Porzingis declared for the NBA Draft. Despite being projected as a lottery pick, he pulled out the day before the draft to play another year in Spain. In 2015, the power forward’s game took a giant leap as he posted 18.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per 36 minutes in his 50 combined games played in both Liga ACB and Eurocup.
Being a 7’0″ European has earned Porzingis a lot of comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol. With top-level quickness and athleticism combined with the size of a center, Chris Bosh would be a more accurate example. There are also some scouts who think Porzingis could be the second-best if not the top prospect in the 2015 draft.
With the ball in his hands, Porzingis not only has the range to stretch the floor by hitting threes but he also owns an ankle-breaking first move off the dribble. His athleticism is also on full display when making cuts, coming off of screens and moving in transition. Exhibiting nimble footwork to go along with an unblockable jump shot, Porzingis can be deadly on the pick-and-pop. A seven-footer with a smooth mid-range jumper, Porzingis is a unique offensive weapon.
The one big knock on Porzingis is his lack of bulk. Weighing only 220 pounds, he consistently gets bullied down low whether on offense or when defending the post. His slight frame also leads to the 19-year-old being pushed around when trying to box out. His lack of a post presence leaves him almost exclusively a perimeter player, which limits his rebounding numbers.
Porzingis is a wild-card when it comes to his draft projections. Many have speculated the 76ers will take the young euro player with the No. 3 pick. There are even rumors that the Lakers’ interest is building at No. 2. If the Latvian slips past Philly, you could make a case for any of the next seven teams drafting him with Orlando at No. 5 and Denver at No. 7 being likely destinations. The disappointing careers of a few of the more recent highly selected European players (Andrea Bargnani, Jan Vesely, Danilo Gallinari) may scare off clubs. However, Porzingis seems almost all but guaranteed to be a top-10 pick.
Playing the stretch four in the NBA, Porzingis will get plenty of opportunities to hit three-pointers and score points from the power forward position. If given the chance to play 25+ minutes per game then 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 1.5 three-pointers per game are reasonable projections for the 19-year-old. While it may take a few seasons for him to add some strength and realize his true potential, Porzingis makes for a great late-round upside pick for the 2015-16 fantasy season.
Dale Redman is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Dale, check out his archive and follow him @fantasytool.