Kristaps Porzingis Said Last Season 'Wasn't Fun' Due to Knicks' Struggles

The New York Knicks encountered their fair share of turmoil throughout the 2016-17 season, and ascendant big man Kristaps Porzingis admitted Friday all of the turbulence sapped his ability to enjoy the game. 

"Yes, it was a tough year," Porzingis told WFAN's Mike's On, according to the New York Post's Marc Berman. "We won a lot of games in the beginning because of our talent. I could tell right away it wasn't going to keep that up for the whole season.  It started to go downhill, it wasn't fun anymore. It was not a very enjoyable season."

To Porzingis' point, the Knicks started the year 14-10 and appeared primed to compete for a playoff spot in a fairly diluted Eastern Conference. But over the season's final 58 games, the Knicks stumbled their way to a 17-41 mark, finishing a meager 31-51. 

The only teams who recorded fewer wins during that stretch were the Los Angeles Lakers (16) and Brooklyn Nets (14). 

Now free of distractions, Porzingis and the Knicks have played a noticeably looser and more free-flowing style that has propelled them to an encouraging 6-5 start that includes wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers. 

Porzingis has been particularly brilliant, averaging 30.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game on 51.2 percent shooting from the field, including 38.0 percent from three.

If Porzingis keeps piling up numbers at that pace, he will join Bob McAdoo as the only players in league history to average at least 30 points, seven boards and two blocks over the course of a season. 

"I'm slowly earning the respect of other superstars in the league, but still have a long way to go to prove that I can be of those guys in the NBA," he said.