Knicks' Porzingis a rookie who can do it all

NEW YORK KNICKS rookie big man Kristaps Porzingis should simply accept the playful ribbing that is sure to follow.

When one of the world's best players compares you to a mythical beast because of your unique skill sets, it's a descriptive noun that is sure to stick to you - even if it sounds more like something from My Little Pony.

"(Porzingis) can shoot," Oklahoma City Thunder forward and former NBA MVP Kevin Durant said of Porzingis on Monday. "He can make the right plays. He can defend.

"He's a 7-footer that can shoot all the way out to the three-point line. That's rare. And block shots. That's like a unicorn in this league."

A unicorn, ouch!

Clearly, Durant, who said he texted Knicks coach Derek Fisher right after Porzingis was selected fourth overall in the 2015 draft to say, "I like this kid," wanted to compliment Porzingis. But calling him a unicorn doesn't present the most macho image.

At least if Durant had called him a Chimera, Griffin or Manticore, Porzingis could get a cool tattoo. But a unicorn? A 7-3 guy from Latvia with a tattoo of "Twilight Sparkle" on his forearm just doesn't cut it.

Jokes aside, what Durant's comment does is simply add more credence to the notion that Porzingis has arrived much quicker than many anticipated and is having as much impact as any rookie in the NBA.

The same Knicks fans who booed the selection of Porzingis in June are now yelling for him to be named the 2015-16 NBA Rookie of the Year.

It is hard to argue against that.

Certainly, Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, the No. 1 overall pick, and Sixers center Jahlil Okafor, who was selected third overall, are right in the mix.

Okafor leads all rookies in scoring average at 17.4 points, which also ranks 33rd overall. He is an "old school" center but may also be the most talented big man on offense to enter the league since Sacramento Kings All-Star DeMarcus Cousins.

The questions concerning Okafor's defense have been amplified in the NBA. He is -8.9 in point differential, which is second worst among rookies. His rebounding (7.3 per game) needs to be at or near double figures.

Although Okafor outplayed him in their two matchups, Towns is the more total package. He is second in rookie scoring at 16.1 points and leads in rebounding at 9.7 per game.

Towns leads rookies with 22 double-doubles, and was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for November and December.

Porzingis is third in scoring (14.0 ppg) and second in rebounding (7.8). As Durant said, Porzingis' outside shooting is rare for a 7-footer. He averages 3.2 three-point shots and sinks 34 percent of them.

Among rookies, only Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell attempts more three-pointers (4.7 pg) than Porzingis.

Porzingis leads rookies with 90 blocked shots, which ties for fifth overall in the league.

Porzingis was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for November and December.

To me, however, what sets Porzingis apart from both Towns and Okafor is that he is the one who is helping his team win the most games.

Going into Tuesday's game against OKC, the Knicks had already won five more games than they did last season when they finished 17-65, the second-worst record in the league behind Minnesota.

The Timberwolves (14-32) are two away from last season's win total. The Sixers (7-39) have the worst record in the NBA and are unlikely to match their win total of 18 from last season.

New York is in a battle for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Obviously, having All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony, who played just 40 games in 2014-15, is a huge boost, but the Knicks basically gutted their roster when it became obvious they were headed for the lottery.

Porzingis is second to Anthony in scoring for the Knicks and leads the team in rebounds and blocked shots. He has been a huge factor, which is ironic because the scouting report on Porzingis going into the draft said he was a high-ceiling project who wasn't ready to make an impact as a rookie.

The odds are that the Knicks would have selected Okafor or Russell had they stayed at their slotted second overall spot.

When the lottery dropped them two spots to fourth overall, they were forced to wait for who was left after Minnesota, the Lakers and Sixers picked.

At the time, it would be safe to say the Knicks settled for picking Porzingis fourth.

But NBA games are played on the court and not scouting reports. Porzingis, 20, has handled the adjustment to The Association as well as any rookie, and better than most. It is still too early to project how any of these rookies will perform beyond what they are currently doing.

Towns, Russell, Okafor and Porzingis all have All-Star-level potential, and if they reach it none of the teams that drafted them will be disappointed with the player they selected.

The ROY, however, is based only on how a player performs in his first NBA season, and right now Porzingis leads that race – even if, thanks to Durant, other players now start calling him "Rarity" and remind him that "Friendship is Magic."

Blog: philly.com/Sixersblog