Knicks Rookie Has Surprising Mentor for Ambitious Goal

New York Knicks rookie Ariel Hukporti finds inspiration from an unconventional source.

Nov 15, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Ariel Hukporti (55) hands the ball off to guard Jalen Brunson (11) while guarded by Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) and forward Ziaire Williams (1) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

New York Knicks rookie Ariel Hukporti is willing to say "prost!" to one of Manhattan's biggest active enemies.

The Knicks emerged victorious in the latest melding of metropolitan minds, taking two games from the Brooklyn Nets at Madison Square Garden over the last eight days. Karl-Anthony Towns' absence in the first game on Friday afforded Hukporti a 30-minute showcase and a chance to face one of his fellow German-born standouts in Dennis Schroder.

“It was great what he did for me as a kid because every German kid looks up to Dennis when they’re little,” Hukporti told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post . “So it’s great to be on the same court with him."

Nov 8, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Ariel Hukporti (55) during the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Schroder, working through his 12th NBA season and first with the Nets, is the fifth-leading German-born scorer in NBA history. Meeting the Braunschweig-based veteran was not just a case of being starstruck for Hukporti, who relayed that Schroder reached out to him while he was working through an unspecified personal issue as he was climbing his way toward the NBA ranks.

"Seeing the person who helped you through hard things, I was going through some family problems at the moment," Hukporti continued. "He helped through family problems.”

In Friday's game, a 124-122 Knicks victory, Hukporti did a little bit of everything, earning seven points with four blocks and rebounds each next to three assists. Schroder, scorer of 14 points on the visitors' side, was more impressed with Hukporti's off-court character, telling Bondy that he "appreciated" the rookie seeking him out in the aftermath.

While Hukporti and Schroder had more immediate business to handle--the Nets immediately returned to MSG on Sunday--they have elaborate plans for their future.

Schroder hinted that Hukporti, as well as former Knick Isaiah Hartenstein, may be exactly what he and other major contributors may be looking for on the German national basketball squad. Amidst his NBA travels, Schroder has become the face of "Die Mannschaft," which took home the gold at the most recent FIBA Basketball World Cup in the summer of 2023.

Nov 15, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder (17) controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

“We need a player like him for the national team as well,” Schroöder said of Hukporti, per Bondy. “We need a player who rolls hard to the rim, sets a good screen, brings a lot of energy. Him and Hartenstein, they’re going to be great for the future."

“I was telling him I’d like to play for the national team in the summer,” Hukporti confirmed to Bondy. “He was like, ‘Let’s make it happen.’ It was great to talk to him about the national team, especially [with] me looking up to him as a kid. Now we can play on the national team together. That’s something special.”

Hukporti has plenty of time to make his case, as the next World Cup and Olympic competitions are years away. In the meantime, he and the Knicks (9-6) will look to continue a four-game winning begun against Brooklyn when they face the Utah Jazz on Saturday late afternoon (5 p.m. ET, MSG/NBA TV).

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