It's not as though Kristaps Porzingis needed more admirers, but the Lithuanian centre received high praise from 2014 MVP Kevin Durant on Monday.
"I think we've gotten away from enjoying the skilled players in this league," Durant said, via ESPN.com. "We've got so many guys that are athletic, and big and strong, but he's (Porzingis) a skilled player. He can shoot, he can make the right plays, he can defend, he's a 7-footer that can shoot all the way out to the 3-point line. That's rare. And block shots, that's like, a unicorn in this league."
MORE: Kristaps Porzingis' Rookie Diary
Porzingis, who's averaging 14.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, was selected fourth overall by the Knicks in June. The pick was met with criticism, but Durant knew right away it would be a good selection.
"When they made the pick, I texted (Knicks coach Derek Fisher) immediately and said, 'I like this kid, he can play,'" Durant said. "A lot of people were down on him, but he can play. He's a skill guy and I think we've gotten away from enjoying skill players in this league. We get so many players that are athletic and big and strong, but he's a skill player."
Durant is listed at 6-9 and is often regarded as the most skilled "big man" in the NBA. But Porzingis, at 7-3, has showcased a lot of the same skills.
"You've got to respect what he's doing," Durant said. "This being New York City, everything is under a microscope, but he's progressing at a high rate pretty fast, and he's going to be a force."