

If the name Kristaps Porzingis rings a bell to Thunder fans Friday, it’s because the New York Knicks rookie was reportedly in the Thunder crosshairs even before he landed in the Big Apple this summer.



Two drafts ago, it appeared that the Thunder was ahead of the curve on the young Latvian. In 2014, an ESPN report said that the Thunder had made a promise to select Porzingis in the first round of the NBA Draft, but the then-under-the-radar 18-year-old ended up pulling his name out of the draft. At the time, he was projected as a mid- to late-first rounder. The Thunder ended up selecting Mitch McGary and Josh Huestis with its two first-round picks at Nos. 21 and 29, respectively.



A year later, Porzingis was one of the hottest prospects on the planet, and was selected No. 4 overall by the Knicks, who are in town Friday to play the Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The 7-foot-3 power forward is in the midst of a solid start to his NBA career, averaging 12.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game, and is coming off a career high 29 points in a win against the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday.



“He’s really different,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. “The one thing I give him credit for as a young guy in this being his first year, he comes across with a great level of confidence and belief in himself. He obviously stretches the floor, he shoots it from behind the 3, he can put it on the floor. He’s really a unique player and I think he’s going to be an unbelievable player in this league.”



Porzingis is third in points per game and second in rebounds among rookies this season, but the Thunder has been rude to rookie lottery picks. Philadelphia 76ers big man Jahlil Okafor was tormented into a 3-of-18 night, and Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay shot just 3-of-14 against the Thunder in a loss.