New York Knicks center/forward Kristaps Porzingis is already a polarizing figure, but it’s not just because of what he’s been able to accomplish on the basketball court. Rather, Porzingis’ entire story intrigues the masses — from his childhood in Latvia to his young career in the Big Apple.
For that reason, ESPN recently filmed and ran an E:60 documentary that focused on Porzingis’ life and career.
In the documentary that aired on Sunday, it was revealed that Porzingis’ family had overcome a previously unreported tragedy — the death of his 14-month-old brother, Toms.
Porzingis has two older brothers that are known, Janis and Martins, the latter of whom is his manager, but he would have also had a third older brother. Unfortunately, four years prior to Kristaps’ birth, the family lost Toms, although they would not say how.
“It felt like a bulldozer had run over my life. We had two other children who we had to care for. We had to live on. After Kristaps was born, it was like he had to live for two lives,” Porzingis’ mother, Ingrida, said in Latvian.
The documentary also addressed Porzingis’ decision to skip exit meetings with team president Phil Jackson. In the mid-April filming at his apartment, Porzingis simply said he had his reasons for missing said meeting.
Tensions between Porzingis and the Knicks continue to rise with recent reports suggesting Jackson fears the former first-round pick will rebel and not re-sign with the team once he becomes a free agent in 2019.
(H/T: New York Post)
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