Kristaps Porzingis, a 19-year-old Latvian, was the surprise fourth pick in the NBA draft by the New York Knicks, whose fans booed the 7-foot-1 (2.16 metres) forward, convinced the club erred by taking a European.
Plenty to prove
Porzingis said: “Lot of fans weren’t happy they drafted me. I have to do everything in my hands to turn those booing fans into clapping fans. The fans are harsh sometimes. That’s how it is in New York and I’m ready for it.” He said he wanted to “end the fear” that NBA fans have for spending high draft picks on Europeans.
A project
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated wrote that Porzingis is “at least two years away from doing anything at an NBA level, but if developed right he could be a franchise player. But there are legitimate concerns in Porzingis’s camp about how he will handle the pressure of New York.”
No apologies
Phil Jackson, club president of the Knicks and an 11-time NBA champion as coach, said the European player, who was little-known a month ago, represented the “greatest risk/reward” bargain in the draft. He added: “I think our fans are going to like him. The reaction of the crowd is what you anticipate in New York, and he’s aware of it.”
Burden of history
Perhaps Knicks fans knew that none of the past 16 Europeans who were drafted as lottery picks have become all-stars. They also may not expect their team to get things right; the Knicks have had losing records in 11 of the past 14 years. Their most recent championship was in 1973.
Other picks
Karl-Anthony Towns, a freshman centre from Kentucky, was taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves to open the draft. Guard D’Angelo Russell of Ohio State went to the Los Angeles Lakers and Duke centre Jahlil Okafor to the Philadelphia 76ers. After Porzingis, Orlando took Croatian guard Mario Hezonja.
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VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
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Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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Day 1
Toss: India, chose to bat
India (1st innings): 215-2 (89 ov)
Agarwal 76, Pujara 68 not out; Cummins 2-40
Scores
Wales 74-24 Tonga
England 35-15 Japan
Italy 7-26 Australia
First-round leaderbaord
-5 C Conners (Can)
-3 B Koepka (US), K Bradley (US), V Hovland (Nor), A Wise (US), S Horsfield (Eng), C Davis (Aus);
-2 C Morikawa (US), M Laird (Sco), C Tringale (US)
Selected others: -1 P Casey (Eng), R Fowler (US), T Hatton (Eng)
Level B DeChambeau (US), J Rose (Eng)
1 L Westwood (Eng), J Spieth (US)
3 R McIlroy (NI)
4 D Johnson (US)
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