New York Knicks

Kristaps Porzingis' brother made him prepare for press conferences

Published Jan. 26, 2016 12:14 p.m. ET

foxsports

Ever wonder how Kristaps Porzingis became so darn personable by age 20? It's easy. He was built to become that way.

The rookie who has taken New York by storm during his first season with the Knicks isn't just throwing down insane dunks and selling the fourth-most jerseys in the NBA. He's also coming off as a supremely likable being. Apparently, he has his brother to thank for that.

From Lee Jenkins' feature on Kristaps at Sports Illustrated:

Kristaps deconstructed his own skills with his father, over Skype or FaceTime, the way Jānis once did. “My dad gave me a thousand pieces of advice,” Kristaps says. “Nine-hundred-ninety-nine about basketball and one about life. But that’s O.K.” He did not revolt when Jānis put him through 2½-hour shooting sessions and then made him study NBA press conferences. He had to prepare for everything.

Porzingis was basically trained how to be an NBA player from a young age, and it seems like Janis, his bro, was like the Crash Davis to his Nuke Laloosh.

I just want to give it my best shot, and the good lord willing, things will work out.

Just make sure to breathe through your eyelids, Kristaps.