After his trade to the Atlanta Hawks this offseason, Kristaps Porzingis has begun to make headlines after he revealed his intention to pursue a mixed martial arts (MMA) career once his NBA days come to a close. In a recent interview with Sporta Centrs, the 7'2 Latvian star mentioned that while he's refrained from training MMA during his tenure in the NBA, he's "saving up" for his MMA career post-retirement.
"MMA is a sport very close to my heart. It’s number one for me to watch. I’m very passionate about it. I promised the club I represent that I wouldn’t do it during my career. I’m ‘saving myself’ so I can start an MMA career after basketball."Kristaps Porzingis, Sporta Centrs Latvia
Other former NBA players have shown that this transition may not be as impossible as it sounds. The NBA is no stranger to their players trying their hand at other sports, with notable players like Steph Curry and LeBron James trying their hand at golf, and most importantly for Porzingis, James Johnson, a 15-year NBA veteran with a combined 27-0 record in MMA & Kickboxing.
The past has shown that NBA players can succeed in other sports, but that doesn't make Kristaps Porzingis' attempt any more realistic. Porzingis has a lot of traits that could serve him well in the octagon, but with someone of his stature, a transition to MMA may not be as seamless as Porzingis might hope.
How does Porzingis profile as an MMA fighter?
For starters, while his 7'2" stature would give him a natural reach advantage over his opponents, that stature would also keep his center of gravity higher than the average fighter in his weight class, allowing Porzingis to be more prone to takedowns against other high-level wrestlers.
Additionally, while he has great body control for someone of his size, which could make him more adaptable in this transition to MMA, the body control & foot work he's learned over the years in basketball don't translate as seamlessly as one might hope into MMA. Combine this with his age, injury history, and the fact that most fighters hit their peak in their mid-20s, the chances of Porzingis carving out a serious career in MMA are slim, but they aren't zero.
With all of these factors surrounding Porzingis and his pursuit of an MMA career, fans are interested to see not only how a 7'2" giant would hold up, but also how someone with his mileage would truly be able to transition to a sport as physically demanding as mixed martial arts.
Porzingis just turned 30 this year, still in his prime years of basketball, so this transition into the MMA probably won't be something fans get to see until later down the line. But with all of the odds Porzingis has already overcome, from his bust-expectations to his injury battles, Porzingis is no stranger to uphill battles. It will be interesting to see how he progresses into his MMA career as these next couple of years go by.