Kristaps Porzingis made his return to Madison Square Garden on Thursday — and he did not receive a warm welcome.
Kristaps gets introduced at MSG 👀 pic.twitter.com/qZf66InLmK
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) November 15, 2019
During the game, fans started an obscene chant while he was at the free throw line.
Knicks fans started an "assh--e" chant when KP was shooting free-throws. pic.twitter.com/UhthdfBkjx
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 15, 2019
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He was also heckled during the national anthem, according to ESPN's Malika Andrews.
Fans interrupted the national anthem to scream "Traitor" and "Go back to Latvia" at Kristaps Porzingis.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) November 15, 2019
The 24-year-old forward, who spent three-plus seasons in New York before being traded in January to the Mavericks, was expecting the reaction.
"It's normal that they feel that way," Porzingis told reporters Wednesday. "All I can do is just look forward to what I have in front of me, not behind."
After the game, he was asked if he heard the chants from the fans.
Kristaps Porzingis heard the many chants about him at MSG tonight. He was asked if he thought they were fair.
— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) November 15, 2019
"I'm not gonna try to win them over now. It is what it is. I understand where they're coming from." pic.twitter.com/QGGI9vcTmY
It's not the first time Porzingis has been booed by Knicks fans: They did it after the team drafted him fourth overall in 2015.
So far, Porzingis has done well away from his first NBA team, averaging 18.3 points and 7.9 rebounds in the 2019-20 season prior to Thursday.
Unfortunately, the Knicks can't say the same, even though they completed a season sweep of the Mavs with a 106-103 victory. The win pushed them to 3-9 on the season.