Prior to the 2017-18 NBA regular season, Janis Porzingis put pressure on the New York Knicks to improve. The agent and older brother of Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis made public comments about the organization’s poor track record, citing a need to take a significant step toward relevance.
With the franchise player set to become a free agent in 2019, the Knicks are answering the call and showing signs of growth—signs that Porzingis is noticing.
Throughout Porzingis’ first two seasons in the NBA, the Knicks’ progress on the court was offset by off-court drama and a coasting mentality.