With basketball on hold for the foreseeable future, Mavs’ star forward Kristaps Porzingis suddenly has a whole more time on his hands. And as he awaits news on the status of the NBA, he took some time to answer some questions in a Q & A with the fans on Instagram.
One of the more interesting posts on IG live came after Porzingis was asked to name his top-five players of All-Time.
At point-guard, he (very surprisingly) named Nets star Kyrie Irving. Though he has struggled with locker room drama in the past few seasons, he has (arguably) the best handles in NBA history and is one of the best players in basketball at creating his own shot off the dribble.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni9eTuoCcks
At shooting guard, he named the Mamba, Kobe “Bean” Bryant. As a 5x Champion, 18x All-Star, and 2x Scoring Champ, he has a shining resume. But it’s also his famous “Mamba mentality” that has captivated the community since the start of his career.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTTWedyp37o
At the three, he listed Kevin Durant. As one of the most unstoppable scorers in the NBA, his combination of skillset and size is unlike anything we’ve ever seen. He is a 2x Champion and former NBA MVP.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXNVHanIN38
At the four, KP puts Dirk Nowitzki, a fellow European and legendary Maverick. Dirk was a loyalist and consistent All-Star over the course of his 20-year career. He helped lead the Mavs to a Championship in 2011.
And, finally, Porzingis puts Shaq at center, probably the most dominant big man to ever play the game. He was unstoppable under the rim, helping him become a 15x All-Star, 2x scoring champ, and 4x NBA Champion.
It’s a pretty solid list through-and-through, and it’s obvious that KP appreciates guys with all different types of skillsets.
As he prepares to chase a championship with the Mavericks, he and Luka will look to join the elite company he put on his list. It will be interesting to see what they are able to do together in the years to come.
