Kristaps Porzingis says how Conor McGregor has helped him improve for next season

Conor McGregor

Life in the NBA, as it is with any sport, can be a tough one as it takes it's toll on the person whether it be physically or mentally, so anyone taking part has to be strong physically, and strong minded to succeed.

After only two seasons, Kristaps Porzingis is on the cusp of becoming one of the better players in the league today. He just needs to work on a few more aspects of his game, as well as having a couple more pieces around him at the New York Knicks in order to reach the next level.

Following a strong rookie season in New York, the Latvian averaged 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game last season despite everything else going on around him at the Knicks since his arrival in 2015.Recently turning 22-years-old, Porzingis has said he wants to stay with New York for his entire career and he has also revealed what parts of his game he needs to improve in order to make this desire a reality. 

According to NBA.com, the Knicks star said: “My game is inside and out. I want to keep it that way so I worked a lot on my shooting, and my post game, which I know I can get better at. A lot of time was spent and will be spent in the weight room. I want to be able to take contact and be ready for all kinds of situations. All that coming together will help me come together as a player.

Porzingis also understands how important it is to be strong mentally in order to survive in the NBA, and he has been looking to an unlikely source of inspiration to help himself out in this part of his game - UFC Fighter Conor McGregor.

“I’m still 22 and still really young but I’m trying to learn as much as I can on the court, and trying to learn as much as I can off the court as well. I want to improve the mental side.

It very much looks like Porzingis is preparing himself for what could be another interesting and challenging season with the Knicks, where they'll be aiming to go back to the playoffs for the first time in four years.

The team is still way off from challenging for another NBA Championship, which is something they haven't won since 1973, but from how the Knicks star has approached this offseason, he's helping the team take the right steps towards changing that.