The NBA announced today that New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis has been named a 2018 NBA All-Star Eastern Conference reserve. The honor marks Porzingis’ first time being selected to the NBA All-Star Game. He was voted in by the NBA head coaches. The 67th NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 18 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.
“I’m thrilled for Kristaps and proud of him for all the preparation he did to get himself ready for this season,” said Knicks Coach Jeff Hornacek. “He has established himself as a team leader through his hard work on both ends of the floor, and is well on his way to becoming one of the premier players in this league.”
In just his third season in the NBA the 22-year old Latvian native is averaging a career high 23.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and an NBA best 2.34 blocks over 33.0 minutes. Porzingis, dubbed the “unicorn” because of his unique skill set, has emerged as one of the top all-around players in the league. Standing 7’3, Porzingis is the only player in the NBA to have at least 955 points, 275 rebounds, 95 blocks and 75 three-pointers this season.
Beginning this season Porzingis became the youngest player in NBA history to score 30 or more points in five of his first six games. He has recorded at least 30-points and three blocks in six games this season, which is tied with Anthony Davis for most in the NBA. Additionally, Porzingis became the first NBA player ever to post at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and five three-pointers in a game.
Under a new All-Star Game format that replaces the traditional matchup between the Eastern and Western Conferences, the leading vote-getters from each conference (LeBron James and Stephen Curry) will now choose the rosters from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves.