Long before Kristaps Porzingis was the star center for a Celtics team with title aspirations, he was a young prospect playing overseas hoping to get drafted.
It's not hard to believe that Porzingis was discovered by talent evaluators, being a 7-2 big man who could stretch the floor and shoot the 3.
He was widely considered to be one of the best prospects in the 2015 NBA Draft and the Knicks took a chance on him with the No. 4 overall pick.
Where did Porzingis come from? The Sporting News takes a closer look at his roots and path to the league below.
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Where is Kristaps Porzingis from?
Porzingis is from Liepāja, Latvia.
He proudly represents the Latvian National Team, which ranks No. 6 in the world after a top-five finish at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Injuries have prevented Porzingis from suiting up for his country during a handful of tournaments, but he has represented Latvia's National Team since his youth days in 2013.
Kristaps Porzingis' path to NBA
Even though Porzingis is from Latvia, he played professionally in Spain before coming to the NBA.
Porzingis was discovered by the Spanish basektball club Sevilla, a Liga ACB and EuroLeague team. He played for Sevilla's youth team for most of the 2012-13 season but made a few appearances with the senior team.
His first breakout season was in 2013-14 when he became a rotation player for Sevilla. Porzingis was named to the ACB's All-Young Players Team in 2014 and originally declared for the 2014 NBA Draft.
Porzingis eventually withdrew his name from the 2014 NBA Draft, deciding to use another professional season overseas to prepare for the 2015 draft.
That decision paid off, as Porzingis averaged 11.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks across 50 games for Sevilla in the EuroCup and Liga ACB.
He was named the 2015 EuroCup Rising Star and solidified himself as a top-five pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
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History of Latvian players in NBA
Porzingis is one of seven Latvian players in NBA history, according to Basketball-Reference's database.
He is the only All-Star of the group, but there are other notable names. Andris Biedrins was a rim-protecting center for the Baron Davis-era "We Believe" Warriors. Davis Bertans has long been a respected 3-point shooter in the NBA.
You can find all seven Latvian NBA players below. Anžejs Pasečņiks
| Player | Years in NBA | Years | Teams |
| Dairis Bertans | 1 | 2019 | NOP |
| Davis Bertans* | 8 | 2017-Present | SAS, WAS, DAL, OKC, CHA |
| Andris Biedrins | 10 | 2004-14 | GSW, UTA |
| Rodions Kurucs | 3 | 2019-21 | BKN, HOU, MIL |
| Anzejs Pasecniks | 2 | 2020-21 | WAS |
| Kristaps Porzingis* | 8 | 2015-Present | NYK, DAL, WAS, BOS |
| Gundars Vetra | 1 | 1993 | MIN |
*Indicates active player