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From Stralsund to New York is almost 6,280 kilometers as the crow flies. Ariel Hukporti, who was born in the Hanseatic city and was recently signed by the Knicks in the NBA, mastered this path.
The German Tour reads as unique. The 2.13 meter tall center’s career began at USC Freiburg im Breisgau in the U14. He then went to Ludwigsburg, to Nevezis in Lithuania and via Melbourne United to the NBA.
In the summer of 2020, Hukporti finished in the first league in Lithuania with KK Nevezis Kedainiai. There, the center averaged 10.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. A year later, Melbourne United signed the German as part of an international program designed to develop young talent with the prospect of making it to the best basketball league in the world.
In Australia, Hukporti averaged 7.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in 27 appearances in his debut season. In preparation for the 2022/23 season, Hukporti had to deal with a serious problem when he tore his Achilles tendon. In their comeback season, the Melbourne team reached the final, but lost the series 2-3 against the Tasmanian JackJumpers. After a brief return to Ludwigsburg, the German finally made the jump to the NBA in June 2024.
NBA: Hukporti sets the first exclamation mark
In this year’s draft, Hukporti, who has Togolese roots, was selected 58th by the Dallas Mavericks and traded to the New York Knicks. The team recently announced the Big Apple Hukporti has received a professional contract for two seasons. Players and franchises have agreed on a “standard contract” for two years. The 22-year-old is currently the eighth German in the American professional league – more Germans have never played in the NBA at the same time.
And for the Knicks, Hukporti made headlines in the best league in the world for the first time in a duel with his partner Dennis Schröder. He played a big role for the first time this season in a 124:122 victory against the Brooklyn Nets. Hukporti was on the field for 30 minutes and played a key role in his team being able to celebrate their first important win in the in-season competition.
The meeting was the sixth appearance of a 22-year-old player in the NBA, and he also scored points in this game for the first time. The center scored seven points and also showed with four rebounds, three assists and four blocks well is a good player because the Knicks can be a real player.
In the game against Schröder’s Nets, Hukporti took away the numbers he posted in the previous five games. In those he was unable to muster a point, four blocks and nine rebounds, mind you, in the combined five games. In the games he only had an average playing time of 6.4 minutes.
Hukporti first played a role with the New York Knicks
Recently it even looked like Hukporti could be a genius for the Knicks. After three games at the start of the season, he was allowed on the field only twice in the following eight games. He received a DNP (Did Not Play) six times, meaning he was part of the team but not used. But that suddenly changed in the game against Brooklyn.
It was already evident during the preparation that the Knicks and especially the coach Tom Thibodeau were very happy with their new development. The tough head coach even found the substitute’s performance “excellent”. Karl-Anthony Towns Star Center in the game against the Washington Wizards.
“I was often in America when I was a teenager, but I had never played a real game here before,” Hukporti said at his only press conference so far before the start of the season. The German barely had time to get used to it. He noticed “how quickly things come down to business, less tactical, with many more freely chosen offensive actions.”
Hukporti also has a successful debut as the 22-year-old benefits from an injury to teammate Mitchell Robinson. The center is suffering from an ankle injury and will not return to the floor until 2025 – plenty of time for Hukporti to prove himself. His next chance to do that again will be in the next game against Dennis Schröder and the Brooklyn Nets, who could certainly do without another positive chapter in Germany’s new NBA fairy tale.
2024-11-17 20:51:00
#Freiburg #NBA
How has Ariel Hukporti’s journey from Germany to the NBA inspired young basketball players in Germany to pursue their dreams in the sport?
Questions for Ariel Hukporti:
1. When did you first realize that you had a passion for basketball, and what motivated you to pursue a professional career in the sport?
2. Can you describe the challenges you faced along the way, from starting your career in Germany to making it to the NBA? How did you overcome these challenges?
3. What was it like adjusting to the high pace and physicality of the NBA, compared to the leagues you played in before?
4. How has your time with various teams around the world, including Nevezis in Lithuania and Melbourne United, contributed to your growth as a player?
5. Can you tell us about the moment you found out you were drafted by the NBA and which team selected you? How did you react, and what were your initial thoughts about playing for that particular team?
6. What has been the most surprising aspect of playing in the NBA so far, both on and off the court?
Questions for Dennis Schröder:
1. As a fellow German player in the NBA, how does it feel to have another countryman joining you on the court? Do you see it as an opportunity to promote basketball in Germany even further?
2. Can you share any experiences or advice you have for Ariel Hukporti as he continues his journey in the league, whether it be specific to the Knicks or general advice for navigating the NBA?
3. How have you seen German players develop in the NBA over the years, and what do you think are the keys to success for them?
4. How did you initially make the transition from playing in Germany to the NBA, and what advice would you offer to young German players hoping to follow in your footsteps?
5. Are there any specific ways in which you think NBA teams could better support and develop young German players, both on and off the court?
6. In light of Hukporti’s recent success with the Knicks, do you see him as a potential key player for the team in the future, or simply a situational substitution for Karl-Anthony Towns’ injury?
