In a deep group of power forwards, Kristaps Porzingis is rising quickly.
Kristaps Porzingis will not be the first player taken in the NBA draft. He will not go second. He will not be selected before several well-known names are called, introduced and analyzed in Thursday’s coverage.
He could, however, be the player who generates the most buzz and determines much of what will follow in the first round.
Porzingis, a power forward from Latvia, has been the subject of much of the pre-draft discussion since his impressive workout for teams in Las Vegas. That was not surprising. Most top players will look good — even without his combination of size, skills and agility — when working against no defense. But NBA teams have been heavily scouting Porzingis for several seasons and especially since he took his name out of last year’s draft.
If he is still on the board by the fourth pick, he could generate the most interesting decisions of the first round, with the Knicks needing to choose between taking a prospect who is just 19 years old or dealing with a team willing to pay to move up to get him. He could even be talented enough to tempt the 76ers, a team happy to be patient, with the third pick.
He leads an unusually deep group of power forwards, especially if some of the college centers are considered power forwards. Even if Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky and Texas’ Myles Turner are listed as centers — though most teams list Kaminsky as a stretch four — the first half of the first round could include Kentucky’s Trey Lyles and Arkansas’ Bobby Portis.
Montrezl Harrell of Louisville and Kevon Looney of UCLA are also expected to go in the first round. Chris McCullough of Syracuse and Jarell Martin of LSU might. But they all will have to follow Porzingas, who is certain to be among the first — and most intriguing — players taken.