Kristaps Porzingis Eyes MMA Career, Promised He Wouldn't Compete Until NBA Retirement

Atlanta Hawks big man Kristaps Porziņģis already has a post-basketball career in mind, and if might not be one you're expecting.

Did you guess MMA fighting?

"MMA is a sport that's very close to my heart. It's number one for watching," he told Sportacentrs (h/t BasketNews and ESPN). "It's something I get fired up about, so I decided to join a new MMA project. Everything is still in process—once we get closer to the final result, I'll be able to share more. This summer, I've also tried MMA, but I promised one of the clubs I represent that I wouldn't pursue it during my basketball career. I'm saving myself for an MMA career after basketball."

Porziņģis would not be the first athlete to try his hand at the fighting game following their initial career. That list includes the likes of the NFL's Herschel Walker, Frank Gore and Le'Veon Bell and the NBA's Nate Robinson, Michael Carter-Williams and Deron Williams, among others

At 7'2", however, Porziņģis would certainly cut a towering figure in the Octagon.

For the time being, the Hawks will be hoping he provides them with a major boost next season on the court. Porziņģis was the team's big-ticket acquisition this summer, offering the team a fantastic pick-and-pop option for Trae Young offensively and a solid rim-defender on the defensive end.

While staying healthy has been an issue for Porziņģis—he appeared in just 99 games for the Celtics over two seasons—he still was a major contributor in Boston when on the court, averaging 19.8 points, seven rebounds and 1.7 blocks across the two campaigns while shooting 39.2 percent from three.

The Celtics trimmed payroll in a big way this summer to get under the second apron and likely will be without Jayson Tatum for the entire 2025-26 season anyway as he recovers from a torn Achilles, so moving on from Porziņģis made sense. But the Hawks, looking to contend in a wide-open Eastern Conference, are hoping he can help take them to the next level.

Before Porziņģis starts his MMA career, that is.