Realistic Expectations for NY Knicks Rookie Guillermo Hernangomez in 2016-17

Any friend of Kristaps Porzingis is a friend of New York Knicks fans. So Guillermo “Willy” Hernangomez should get a warm welcome in New York when he suits up as backup center.

Hernangomez and Porzingis were once teammates on Baloncesto Sevilla in Liga ACB, and, as Hernangomez told ESPN’s Ian Begley “We are very close. We can say that we are like brothers.”

Via a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Knicks selected Hernangomez at No. 35 in the 2015 NBA Draft. It was a classic “Eurostash” maneuver as the 6’10” 22-year old spent the past year playing about, 12 minutes per game off the bench for Real Madrid—the most decorated team in Liga ACB, the top tier in Spain’s five-tier system.

In February, Porzingis told the New York Post’s Marc Berman that he talked to Willy (pronounced “Billy,” per Begley) every day via text and hoped he would be coming to play in New York. KP’s scouting report (sales pitch), per Berman: “He’s big, very good hook shot with both hands,’’ Porzingis said. “He really knows how to hold his defender. He’s really good in the post. The triangle offense would fit very well.’’

Hernangomez’s basketball skills have been vetted by more than just Porzingis and the Knicks’ front office, of course. He’s the son of two professional basketball players—his father, a Real Madrid veteran, his mother, a Eurocup champion. His brother Juan (Juancho) was just selected No. 15 by the Denver Nuggets in 2016’s NBA draft.

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The new-look Knicks are an old-school squad with driving point guards and true center Joakim Noah operating in the low post. They should be a sprightly bunch, however, with enough agility and speed to score in …

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