Kristaps Porzingis not the first Latvian star in U.S. sports
New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) gestures after scoring against the Charlotte Hornets during the first quarter of a game, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015. Credit: AP / Julie Jacobson
Kristaps Porzingis' promising start for the Knicks has revived one of the most intense, longest-running debates in sports talk radio:
Who is the greatest Latvian athlete in the history of the major North American team sports?
Sure, it is a question that never truly can be resolved, but that is the fun of it!
The NHL has been home to the largest number of noteworthy Latvians, topped by seven-time All-Star Sandis Ozolinsh, who totaled 564 points for six teams, including the Rangers, and won a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 1996.
But mention must be made of the Sabres' Zemgus Girgensons, a/k/a "The Latvian Locomotive." Thanks to a torrent of support from his native land of about 2 million people - less than a quarter the population of New York City - he was the top vote-getter for the 2015 NHL All-Star Game.
Arturs Irbe was the most accomplished Latvian goalie to play in the NHL, but you knew that.
Andris Biedrins so far has made the most impact of any Latvian in the NBA, of which there have only been three.
The 7-foot center spent most of his middling 10-year career with the Warriors before finishing up with the Jazz in 2013-14.
Anete Jekabsone-Zogota did her most noteworthy basketball work in Europe, but she did play a total of three seasons with the Connecticut Sun and Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA.
According to pro-football-reference.com, the only NFL player to be born in Latvia was Vilnis Ezerins, a running back who carried twice for the Rams in 1968, gaining a total of 2 yards. But he went to high school in Wisconsin.
There never has been a Major League Baseball player born in Latvia, according to baseball-almanac.com.
Hmm. The Knicks are off April 4. Perhaps the Yankees would like to invite a tall special guest to give the ceremonial first pitch a try. Standing on the mound, Porzingis would be more than 8 feet tall.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
