Kristaps Porzingis was asked about his overall fitness during the Atlanta Hawks’ Media Day, and the Latvian international emphasized that he’ll be ready to go for the team this upcoming season.
After winning his first NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 2024, Porzingis wasn’t as effective last season due to a mysterious illness he was dealing with. He was eventually moved to the Atlanta Hawks, as Boston wanted to get out of the second apron.
“It was good for me to have a Eurobasket this summer, just to get back in shape, get in a good rhythm, and that was an important part for me,” Porzingis said via ClutchPoints’ Malik Brown. “Just to have a couple of months of preparation, and getting my lungs good again, and everything, was super important, and I look forward to heading into this season already in the rhythm, already in good shape, and I feel fantastic right now.”
“Some days, I was okay, my energy was good, and some days, I had a crash. I’m glad it’s gone now,” he continued about his illness. “Maybe it was just that my system needed a reset during the summer. I took some time off, and I haven’t felt it since.”
Atlanta Hawks News: Trae Young drops truth bomb on not getting his huge extension
Trae Young admitted he was disappointed that he did not get the four-year, $229 million extension he was eligible to get from the Atlanta Hawks this offseason.
“I don’t know (about) the word disappointment. I mean, maybe, for sure,” Young admitted via Field Level Media. “For me, I’m more happy about the team that we got going into this season. I’m blessed, bro. I wasn’t stressing about anything. If something happened, it happened. If it didn’t, I still got time.”
“I’m focused on this team. I’m focused on right now. I’m blessed. I got a great team going into the season, one that you can’t really say I’ve had (before),” he added. “So I’m even more excited about that. Who knows what the future is for me? But right now, I’m here and I’m present like me and Coach (Quin Snyder) have been talking about. I’m ready to go.”
