From the hardwood to the octagon, Kristaps Porzingis has his eyes set on an improbable career change.
The talented 7’2″ big man recently revealed his passion for mixed martial arts, and that he may even entertain that path once his basketball career comes to an end.
In an interview with Sporta Centrs, the Latvian big man revealed his desire to step into the octagon.
“MMA is a sport that is very close to my heart,” Porzingis said.
“Number one in terms of viewing. It is something that I am passionate about, which is why I decided to participate in a new MMA project.
“Everything is still in progress – when we get closer to the final result, I will be able to tell you more.
“This summer I played a little tennis and padel tennis – very good sports in the summer, especially in the fresh air. I have also tried my hand at MMA, but I promised one of the clubs I represented that I would not do it during my career.
“I am ‘saving up” to start an MMA career after basketball.”
The octagon wil’ have to wait for now, as Porzingis heads into his 10th season in the NBA.
Fresh off being traded from the Boston Celtics to the Atlanta Hawks, Porzingis is currently extension eligible if Atlanta chooses to do so. If not, he will earn nearly $31 million this season before becoming a free agent next summer, in line for another big payday.
In two seasons in Boston, Porzingis averaged 19.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game, while helping lead the storied franchise to an NBA-record 18th title in 2024.
In his decade-long career, Porzingis has earned almost $205 million. He could retire at any point and be set for the rest of his life, without a second thought, but he clearly has bigger plans for himself once he puts the basketball down.
The Hawks will be hoping that isn’t anytime soon, as they look to contend in the Eastern Conference this season.
Porzingis, along with superstar Trae Young, makes for a formidable duo. Factor in Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, and Onyeka Okongwu, and you have got a team that can contend in the East.
Porzingis battled an illness throughout the postseason in his final weeks as a Celtic, that saw him play poorly. However, he has had a healthy offseason and will be looking to be a major contributor for the Hawks. He is ready to remind everyone the type of player he is.
He opened up to Sports Studija and talked about the excitement he has going into this year and how great he currently feels.
“I feel fantastic, to be honest,” Porzingis said.
“I took time to rest after the season. Something was lingering during the playoffs—I had fatigue, dizziness, even moments where I felt like I might faint. It wasn’t great.
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“In June, I fully rested and lowered the intensity. All of that has gone away. I haven’t felt any of the playoff symptoms anymore. I feel great.”
He then spoke about the opportunity that awaits him in Atlanta.
“I think expectations are high,” Porzingis continued.
“Atlanta’s been on the edge of the playoffs the last few years, sometimes getting through the first round. It’s a great situation for me to come in and contribute. Maybe even better than Boston, where it was championship or bust.”
If Atlanta can get what Boston got out of Porzingis, which is a world championship, then they will be more than happy.
And who knows, maybe after ring No. 2 Porzingis will find his way to the octagon.