New York Knicks second-year big man Ariel Hukporti has seen the court only in spurts this season. However, he got an opportunity with Mitchell Robinson out Wednesday against the Charlotte Hornets, and he made the most of it.
Knicks’ Ariel Hukporti flashes great defense in win over Hornets
He flashed a lot of defensive upside in the victory, recording two blocks and grabbing two rebounds off the bench, as well as defending the rim well. The catch? He fouled out in only 13 minutes of action.
Aside from the silly fouls he was committing, Hukporti showed great promise as a true rim-protecting big man. The rim protection has not been super crisp this season, especially when Karl-Anthony Towns is at the center position, but Hukporti showed that he can hold it down.
For his efforts, head coach Mike Brown awarded him with the team’s defensive player of the game tab.
“His impact was huge. I’m happy for him and this is a guy who hasn’t played much in a while,” Brown said, via SNY.
Hukporti is still developing as a player
Hukporti has not been a fixture in the rotation this season, only playing a handful of spot minutes early on in games and filling in for injured players. However, the big man has shown a lot of potential to grow into a rotation piece, but he still has quite a way to go in his development.
Getting involved in the bigger moments and making an impact in those situations is certainly beneficial for his confidence. The more confident he is, the better his production on the court will be.
Hukporti will look to have another solid outing on Friday, when he and the Knicks take on the Utah Jazz.