“I haven’t reached my potential yet.” The Future and Going to Washington – Basketball – Apollo.lv – Sports

As you know, Kristaps Porziņģis was changed from the Dallas Mavericks to the Washington Wizards on the last day of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) exchange deal. Another Latvian basketball player Dāvis Bertāns and Spencers Dinvidijs went in the opposite direction.

While Porziņģis represented the Dallas “Mavericks”, rumors about disagreements with the team leader Luka Dončič were often heard in foreign media. It has also often been said that a Latvian basketball player in Dallas feels isolated. However, when he arrived in Washington, Porziņģis realized that he would be treated much differently here.

Porziņģis and “Wizards” head coach Vess Anselds have already discussed the attack schemes during the first dinner together with a plate of meat and mashed potatoes.

“He came to dinner with a notebook and asked me, ‘What do you think of this attack?’ Can you draw your favorite attack schemes? “I didn’t answer at the time, but he really wanted to know,” said Porziņģis.

During his Mavericks career, Porziņģis made essentially no progress. Injuries were a constant hindrance, but the conditions in the team did not help the Latvian basketball player to grow. He believes that players in Washington, including Bradley Bill and Bald Cousma, have made him feel welcome from day one.

Porziņģis found out about the exchange while he was in the sandwich shop: “I noticed a guy taking a picture of me. And then came a message from Bertan. He wrote:” Oh! Good one! O … not taken into account. Want to owe your house? “”

Bertan has previously revealed that he was initially convinced that he would be able to play with his compatriot. It was not decided …

It is no secret that Porziņģis has gained the reputation of a traumatic player during these years. The basketball player himself believes that he has earned this reputation undeservedly.

“Of course, my height is specific. But these injuries are contact injuries. Especially the two biggest ones – meniscus and cruciate ligament rupture. It really can’t be avoided. It can happen, and it happened to me. The issue has been successful, “said Porziņģis.

There have been growing rumors recently that Wizards team leader Bradley Bill may be leaving Washington. Porziņģis believes that Biel will sign a new contract with the Wizards this season.

“I think he is a great player. I believe that I will raise my level of play with him,” Porziņģis said of Bila.

The Latvian basketball player admitted that he had learned about a possible exchange deal some time before the fateful call. He makes no secret of the fact that if he had to leave the Mavericks, he wanted to join the Eastern Conference team.

“I thought – if I don’t finish the season in Dallas, this is where I want to go. Everything worked perfectly,” said Porziņģis.

In the end, the Latvian basketball player added that he was still ahead of him in the Washington team.

For a long time after the exchange deal, the Latvian basketball player has scored 17.6 points and 8.2 rebounds in the ranks of “Wizards”.