Kristaps Porzingis was born in 1995 in Latvia. The father of the future basketball star worked as a bus driver. It is worth noting that both Kristaps’ parents in their youth were seriously fond of playing basketball. My father was practically a professional in this sport, and my mother played for the youth team. A little later, she even worked on the Latvian national team. Porzingis has an older brother Janis. It was he who first became interested in basketball and still helps and instructs his brother in the game. Janis Porzingis is a former professional basketball player. However, in 2015 he retired from the sport due to a lack of opportunity to play and a lack of demand. This period lasted 2 years, and the athlete had to completely change his life. Kristaps’ second brother is also a big basketball fan and is always happy to take part in family games. Kristaps also had a third brother, Thoms, but he died when he was very young.
The whole Porzingis family simply adores basketball, and at about 6 years old he already had a serious training schedule, like an adult athlete. A little later, he already participated in competitions along with older teammates. All coaches noticed in Kristaps an excellent level of hand-eye coordination and focus, which significantly distinguished him from his peers.
For Porzingis, getting a regular education has never been a priority. But at the same time, attending school was a prerequisite in his family, and Kristaps fulfilled it. Pieces of training, games, and competitions took a lot of time, and study as a whole faded into the background. After school, Porzingis hurried to the basketball court. He trained five times a week and even had games on weekends. During the summertime, Kristaps regularly visited basketball campsites with his two older brothers.
Already in his school years, Porzingis made unprecedented successes for his age in his favorite sport. Once, while playing for the local team, an agent noticed him among the other players. He filmed a talented boy’s game and sent him to different basketball teams. The entire Porzingis family was happy when Kristaps received an invitation to become part of the Spanish basketball club Baloncesto Sevilla.
Beginning of his career
At first, life in the new country was very challenging for Porzingis. Soon after moving from his family, he developed anemia. The disease provoked shortness of breath and fatigue. Health problems negatively affected not only his appearance but also his sports training, because the guy simply did not have the strength to play well. A nutritionist helped him to overcome the disease, practically brought the young athlete back to life, and thereby saved his future career.
In addition, it was difficult for Porzingis to master a new language. Playing for the youth squad during the first season, he communicated as best he could with his teammates and coaching staff. But thanks to perseverance and hard work, the basketball player quickly overcame the language barrier.
The basketball player began playing professionally for the club in 2012. In the following season, Porzingis has already become a real star of Sevilla. In 2014, Kristaps applied for the NBA Draft. However, the young man soon changed his mind and withdrew the previously filed document. All of this was influenced by the opinion of his family, who persuaded him to return to Europe to fight for the Eurocup Rising Star award that he received that season.
But despite this, Porzingis did not give up the idea of getting into the NBA. In 2015, his dream was destined to come true. Porzingis was chosen fourth overall in the NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. He continued to amaze spectators and coaches with his technique, and the family shared the success and rejoiced in every victory. Kristaps spent several years at the New York Knicks before joining the Dallas Mavericks in early 2019. In tandem with Luka Doncic, Porzingis founded one of the strong duos in NBA history.
Personal life
In his spare time, Kristaps is a real football fan. He not only loves to watch the matches of his favorite teams but also enjoys playing football with his friends.
By nature, the basketball player is a rather cold-blooded person who tries to avoid unnecessary attention to himself. Porzingis does not spare money for expensive real estate and cars because his level of earnings allows him to buy the best. As of 2020, Kristaps’ salary is estimated at $ 20.5 million. All real estate and property of the basketball player is estimated by experts at $ 60 million. These numbers put Porzingis at the 80th highest-paid forward and 197th among the highest-paid NBA players.
Kristaps also finds time to do charity work. For example, he donated money to his hometown for the construction of two basketball courts.
The life of Kristaps Porzingis is a vivid example of how family support and support can lead a person to a dream come true. The parents were able to captivate their son, supported his interest in him, and helped him to go step by step in the direction of his favorite hobby, which eventually turned into a lifelong business. Without a doubt, the personal qualities of the basketball player also played a huge role in the fact that Porzingis is considered a real basketball star to this day. His hard work, dedication, and love of the game have helped him achieve tremendous heights in his career.
