When Leslie Jones tried to fix New York Knicks with "my boy" Kristaps Porzingis

New York Knicks v Denver Nuggets
Leslie Jones tried to fix the New York Knicks with Kristaps Porzingis (Image via Getty Images)

Kristaps Porzingis spent three seasons playing for the New York Knicks. The 7-foot-3 big man was drafted by the Knicks, but was eventually traded to the Dallas Mavericks.

Despite Porzingis' skills, the Knicks weren't able to advance to the playoffs and produce significant results. However, Leslie Jones, a "Saturday Night Live" star, had an idea on how to fix the team. Jones is also a big fan of the big man.

"That's my boy. I yell at him enough," the comedian said regarding Porzingis. "I know he hear me on the side. 'Shoot the ball, KP!'"

Jones has revealed many other interesting details regarding her love for the Knicks and Porzingis. Unfortunately, the big man was eventually traded and he currently plays for the Washington Wizards.


Leslie Jones is a big New York Knicks fan

Besides being a comedian, Leslie Jones has also tried her hand at basketball. She's played the sport since sixth grade, so she understands a lot more about it than an average fan.

Unfortunately, Jones did not have a great time watching the team play live. She got tickets to the Knicks game in 2014, but was very disappointed with what she saw.

Carmelo Anthony played for the Knicks back in 2014 (Image via Getty Images)
Carmelo Anthony played for the Knicks back in 2014 (Image via Getty Images)

Back then, the Knicks had several amazing players, including Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire. However, they simply couldn't win games and finished the 2014-15 season with an 17-65 record.

"They played so awful, I swore I would never, ever come to another game," Jones said about her first NBA game. "I was like, 'They f***ing suck.'"

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Jones gave the Knicks another chance and saw decent basketball being played. She also gave a few ideas on how to fix the team.

The Knicks finished the 2014-15 season with only 17 wins (Image via Getty Images)
The Knicks finished the 2014-15 season with only 17 wins (Image via Getty Images)

The comedian wanted fans to leave Carmelo Anthony alone. She also believed that the team needed a strong leader and a good coach who would properly lead the team.

Jones also talked about Kristaps Porzingis, who was drafted in 2015. She said that she'd like to see him fight for rebounds more often. In general, the comedian mostly criticized the team for their lack of defense.


Kristaps Porzingis in New York

Porzingis was the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft. The big man from Latvia had a decent rookie season in the Big Apple, averaging 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

The 7-foot-3 center improved in his second year and increased his scoring average to 22.7 points in the third year. Unfortunately, the big man suffered an ACL injury prior to the 2018-19 season and had to miss it completely.

Kristaps Porzingis averaged nearly 23 points per game in his last season in New York (Image via Getty Images)
Kristaps Porzingis averaged nearly 23 points per game in his last season in New York (Image via Getty Images)

You may be interested in reading: Kristaps Porzingis on why pairing with Luka Doncic didn’t yield results for Dallas Mavericks: “I just wasn’t the right guy”

The Knicks did not want to extend Kristaps Porzingis' contract, which is a big reason why he wanted to be traded to another team. Shortly before the 2019 trade deadline, the team traded Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks.

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Edited by Asmir Pekmic