Kristaps Porzingis feels for Lonzo Ball
Blood is thicker than water.
And a lot more trickier to navigate at times.
Earlier this season Kristaps Porzingis found himself in the middle of a firestorm caused by his brother Janis, who in a European interview, claimed if the Knicks did not make the star happy, he could bolt.
“You cannot upset him much or otherwise, at the end of the season, he will say ‘it’s not so cool here,’” Janis was quoted back in early November.
And yeah, the Knicks’ Porzingis spent some time putting out fires as a result. You can choose your friends but not the place to hide when a family member yaps off.
So Porzingis knows somewhat what Lonzo Ball is going through, courtesy of his father, LaVar. America’s most notorious shock-jock dad has repeatedly put a bull’s-eye on his son’s back. Ball and the Lakers (10-15) invade the Garden on Tuesday riding a two-game winning streak — with victories at Philadelphia and Charlotte — following five straight losses.
“I think my situation was different,” said Porzingis, whose brother is a representative of the agency that handles him. “It was just the wrong timing for what my brother said. But I stand behind what he says.
“And yeah for [Ball], it’s maybe a little different,” Porzingis said. “He has all this attention, and I don’t know if he wants it that much. But it’s hard to be in his skin. It’s hard to imagine being in his skin. He has great talent, and I think as he gets more comfortable in the league, he will be just fine.”
While he’s not stomping out fires.