As the new head coach of the New York Knicks, David Fizdale is set to face a challenging year ahead. However, it appears that he has already gotten past one potentially huge roadblock, which comes in the form of getting on the same page with cornerstone star Kristaps Porzingis.
Bruce Beck of WNBC-TV recently caught up with the 44-year-old coach, and the subject of discussion inevitably led to Fizdale's relationship with Porzingis. According to Fizdale, the 7-foot-3 Latvian appears to be relishing the challenge his head coach has set for him.
“He likes the challenge of me saying ‘I want him to be the MVP’ and ‘I want him to be the Defensive Player of the Year,’” claimed Fizdale. “That’s real competitors they want that and I’m going right at it with him. I want him to look at himself that way.”
This is a huge ask for Porzingis who is currently nursing an ACL injury on his left knee and is not expected to be back until February of next year. Then again, the 23-year-old is only entering his fourth year in the league, and if his year-by-year development is any indication, then it wouldn't be surprising if Porzingis were included in the MVP and DPOY conversations a couple of years from now.
Porzingis was having a monster season last year before succumbing to injury a week before the All-Star break. In 48 starts, the fourth overall pick of the 2015 Draft produced career-best number in points (22.7), three-pointers (1.9), steals (0.8), and blocks (2.4), while also chipping in 6.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 32.4 minutes per contest.
For his part, this is Fizdale's second stint as a head coach after a season and a half with the Memphis Grizzlies.
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