The New York Knicks are in trouble. The first blow came when they lost Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed for the OKC Thunder on a 3-year $87 million deal. Their troubles didn’t end there. Shams Charania on ESPN- First Take confirmed that Mitchell Robinson is out until January, delivering the second blow. With the season starting on October 22, the Knicks are still without a reliable center…

The NY side has built its identity around a physical, defensively tough approach. Players like Mitchell Robinson have anchored the paint, swatting shots and controlling the boards. The Knicks need to have a good center because they can’t keep playing Karl-Anthony Towns at Center instead of his preferred position of Power Forward. So who fills the void?

Ariel Hukporti, a seven-footer with a unique skill set, might just be the player the Knicks have in mind. With a background that spans international leagues and a promising trajectory, the German hooper is positioning himself as a viable solution to fill the void.

A likely unfamiliar name for the fans as he has mostly played overseas. Hukporti was born in Straslund, Germany. His parents immigrated to Germany from Togo. He was raised by his single mother. Initially he played football but moved to basketball because he was very tall, 5ft 11in at 9 years old. He started his career by playing for USC Freiburg in the German U16 League. Many big clubs in Europe had his eyes on him like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona but he signed for Ludwigsburg. In 2020 he signed for Nevėžis Kėdainiai, a team in the Lithuanian Basketball League. But he had a chance to show off his capabilities in the US when he was invited to the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Global Camp in Chicago in 2020.

In the 6th edition of BWB, Ariel Hukporti took home the Most Valuable Player Award. Melbourne United had signed him in 2021 as ‘the next star’ player, where he then averaged 8.4 points, 1.5 blocks, and 7 rebounds per game, as the defensive anchor, in the 2023-24 season.  

Ariel Hukporti may be a diamond in the rough!

Hukporti is no ordinary rookie. Standing 7 feet tall and weighing in at 245 pounds, his physical presence alone commands attention. He was drafted as the 58th pick in the second round of the 2024 draft and is currently on a two-way contract with the New York side. His defensive potential, particularly as a shot-blocker and rim protector, aligns with the Knicks’ needs following Isaiah Hartenstein’s departure. Ariel, however, sought guidance from his compatriot himself before the hooper left NY! 

“He’s like, ‘Make sure you bring energy to the table, a lot of defense, rebounding, make sure you keep your game simple, don’t complicate it,’” Ariel Hukporti said. “Just listen to the coaches whatever they want on defense. Make sure you’re capable of adapting and all that.” 

But just advice isn’t all that he got from Isaiah Hartenstein, he also got his No. 55 jersey. Ariel Hukporti played a solid game for the NY Knicks on Wednesday. He played 16 minutes off the bench and recorded 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, and had a plus-minus of +4. Jericho Sims, on the other hand, another center for the Knicks, could only get 2 minutes of playtime.

Ariel Hukporti also seems to be gelling well with other players in the locker room. Tyler Kolek is another rookie, and their synergy seemed to match on the pick-and-roll. While both players are competing for a spot, both could fulfill different needs for the NY Knicks. We saw a solid glimpse of what Hukporti can do. The preseason should grant him more opportunities to be a solid rotation player.