Kristaps Porzingis Reveals Details on Mystery Illness Before Hawks NBA Season Opener

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ayomide Adeduyite | Last updated Oct 22, 2025 12:21 PM ET

Kristaps Porzingis is entering a new chapter with the Atlanta Hawks after being traded from the Boston Celtics in June. The move, part of a three-team deal, sent Porzingis and a second-round pick to Atlanta in exchange for Georges Niang and other draft assets. His stint in Boston was a mix of triumph and frustration — he won an NBA championship in 2024 but endured a difficult follow-up season.

His second year was derailed by a mysterious illness that left him struggling physically and contributed to Boston’s second-round playoff exit. Porzingis averaged 19.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in 42 regular-season games but managed only 85 total points across 11 postseason appearances as his condition limited him on the court.

Former Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porziņģis (8)David Butler II-Imagn Images

The illness that sidelined Porzingis during Boston’s playoff run remained unclear for months — until now.

In a recent interview with The Athletic’s Fred Katz, the Latvian big man revealed that he was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a disorder of the nervous system, that causes a sharp increase in heart rate when standing up.

“It hit me, and it hit me like a truck,” Porzingis said. “The breathing wasn’t good. I did everything I could potentially to feel as good as I could, but my engine wasn’t running the way I wanted.”

Kristaps Porzingis is in a new place — but then again, so are the Hawks.

Story from Atlanta on a 7-foot-3 big man trying to show he’s still got it and a revamped squad hoping to do the same: https://t.co/xuJ2FPTtDQ pic.twitter.com/sd8WPldMmB
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) October 22, 2025

He revealed that his heart rate could stabilize while lying down, but standing up would send it soaring to 130 beats per minute. “You know how people say, ‘Oh, I’m so fatigued.’ I’ve never used those words,” he added. “At that time, I could just lay on the couch and be a house cat.”

Porzingis has battled health issues for much of his career, from knee to foot injuries, but will hope to stay healthy as he begins a new stint as Atlanta’s starting center. The Latvian big man will partner with Trae Young and a revamped Hawks roster, aiming to return to playoff contention.

Porzingis is set to make his regular-season debut Wednesday when Atlanta hosts the Toronto Raptors, with tipoff at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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