Former Wizard Crowned A Champion

Tyrone Montgomery | Jun 21, 2024

Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) celebrates in the locker room after winning the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Elsa/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports / Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

There is a saying in life that goes like this - "He came, he saw, and he conquered." That was the case for former Washington Wizard great, Kristaps Porzingis. His tenure with the Washington Wizards literally came within the blink of an eye. He was actually a really good bargain for the Wizards and showed a lot to be excited for. The only problem is that the Wizards weren't the only team noticing how great Porzingis can be towards success.

Kristaps Porzingis is the first player born in Latvia to win an NBA Championship! 🏆🇱🇻 pic.twitter.com/VqlUkacrcM

— NBA (@NBA) June 18, 2024

Kristaps Porzingis joined the Boston Celtics last summer. The Celtics were always in the conversation of being a true title contender in the weaker Eastern Conference. The feeling around the league was that they needed one or two more pieces to truly leap to being a contender rather than a pretender. Acquiring Kristaps Porzingis was one move that got them to where they are today. The other move was acquiring Jrue Holiday.

Kristaps Porzingis could be relied upon to score both from the paint and the perimeter. He also was reliable defensively as he is listed as 7'3. He is now an NBA champion. However, the road to get here wasn't an easy route for him.

Kristaps Porzingis scored the most points in NBA history by a player making a franchise debut against the team that drafted him 😤 pic.twitter.com/zlE1tpRYS9

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 26, 2023

It all started in New York with the Knicks. The Knicks are known to be a franchise with pressure to be successful. The fans and the front office highly expect the team to win. Kristaps Porzingis was drafted number four overall in 2015. His durability was doubted in New York as he could not stay healthy. Although he was considered the Knicks' savior, the team valued his availability over his skills. That is what got him traded to the Dallas Mavericks.

He was seen to be the perfect fit playing next to Luka Doncic. They both can score from everywhere on the court. They both also have a very high basketball IQ. That is something that many teams can't contend against. However, once again he struggled to stay healthy. He was then traded from Dallas to the Washington Wizards after three seasons.

“This is amazing” -Kristaps Porzingis 20x

Celtics 2024 Championship Parade.
Congrats to the CHAMPS ☘️ pic.twitter.com/wPgnFotJq2

— GreenRunsDeep (@CelticsGRD) June 22, 2024

In Washington, he blocked a lot of shots, made a lot of shots, and was considered a legit piece to the puzzle in Washington. However, the Wizards felt the need to rebuild since they failed to have a healthy Bradley Beal to pair next to him. That is what landed Porzingis with the Celtics and now he is a champion. Although Porzingis is now a Celtic, you can't help but feel good for the kid. He is still under 30 years old and can still play at a very high level.