Kristaps Porzingis: From Basketball Unicorn To Nba All-Star

Back in 2015, the New York Knicks were slated to select fourth in the NBA Draft. The president of basketball operations then, Phil Jackson, had his eyes set on a lanky Latvian prospect, electing to go the draft-the-tall-European-shooter route and look for the next Dirk Nowitzki. Many teams had tried this before, only to see their attempt fail and, effectively, lose out on drafting other prospects.

                             Image source: nypost.com

So, when Kristaps Porzingis’s name was announced as the Knicks’ selection, several of the team’s fans in attendance booed loudly. Little did they know that they were getting their hands on a rare breed of basketball player.

Porzingis’s height is listed at 7 feet and 3 inches, but he does not move on the basketball court in the same way as most of the other players of his stature do. He can run and move laterally with agility, he can handle the ball well for his size, and his shooting range extends past the three-point line. Because of his exceptional skill set, he was the first NBA player to be referred to as a “unicorn.”

This season, he has improved his game even more. Finally doing away with Carmelo Anthony, who was traded away last offseason, and the triangle offense that limited Porzingis’s potential, the Knicks have finally unleashed “Porzingod.”

                        Image source: hoopshabit.com

And as a reward for his work on the court this year, at only 22 years old, he will be playing in his first All-Star Game this February.

Hey! Christopher Halajian here. I’m a huge fan of New York’s sports teams, which you can read more about here.

Babe Ruth And His Memorabilia

Though there are many great names in American baseball history, none are bigger than that of Babe Ruth. The Bambino, as many call him, is a legend among legends. No other baseball player is talked about with as much revered lore as Ruth. His legacy knows no bounds. From stories to statistics, Ruth is the king of baseball. Even his memorabilia value speaks for itself.

Image source: moneyinc.com

Probably one of the most expensive sports memorabilia in modern history is a Yankees jersey Babe Ruth wore in 1920. It was sold in May 2012 for an unbelievable $4.4 million.

Then there’s a bat Ruth hit his first home run in Yankee Stadium with, which sold for $1.2 million back in 2004. Not bad for a piece of wood with such a legendary hit.

Some Babe Ruth memorabilia that existed before his days with the Yankees are also considered priceless. Take for instance the contract he had with the Boston Red Sox, which was worth over a cool million at an auction. Speaking of contracts, the one Ruth signed that sold him from the Red Sox to the Yankees sold for a little under a million.

Image source: momentsintime.com

Babe Ruth received a watch in 1923 which was called a New York Yankees World Championship edition. It sold for $717,000 in 2014.

Christopher Halajian is majoring in sports management at NYU. For more about him and New York sports, visit this website.