The 2025 offseason has been a busy one for Kristaps Porzingis. After the Boston Celtics crashed out of the 2025 NBA Playoffs in their Eastern Conference semifinals series against the New York Knicks, the C’s ended up dealing the former All-Star center to the Atlanta Hawks in an effort to avoid the second apron of the league’s new salary cap.
Porzingis will immediately look to form a potent partnership with star Hawks guard Trae Young. And while that prospect excites Porzingis, he is also beginning to plan for what life will look like after the NBA. In fact, when discussing his post-NBA plans, Porzingis revealed the surprising career goal he will be looking to accomplish.
What Does Kristaps Porzingis Want to Do After Retiring from the NBA?
From the moment he entered the NBA as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Porzingis has been one of the most divisive players in the league. He showcased his sky-high potential early in his career, earning an All-Star selection in the 2017-18 season when he averaged 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game for the Knicks.
Injuries and inconsistent play ended up resulting in him getting traded to the Dallas Mavericks, where he again struggled to find his fit alongside Luka Doncic. Porzingis built his value back up during a season-and-a-half stint with the Washington Wizards before the Celtics swooped in and traded for him. With the Latvian big man anchoring their lineup, Boston cruised to a championship in the 2023-24 season.
Porzingis will be forced to find his way with a new team again next season now that he’s landed with the Hawks. If he and Young can get on the same page right out of the gate, Atlanta could be a very dangerous team next season. No matter what they do, though, they won’t be as dangerous as the MMA fights that Porzingis wants to participate in once he calls it a career in the NBA.
“MMA is a sport that is very close to my heart. Number one in terms of viewing. That’s the thing I’m going to light up on, so I decided to participate in a new MMA project,” Porzingis told Sporta Centrs. “Everything is still in process. When we approach the final result, I’ll be able to tell you more. I’ve tried my hand at MMA, but I promised one of the clubs I represented that I would not do so during my career.”
Hawks Hoping to Keep Kristaps Porzingis Healthy in 2025-26 Campaign
GettyKristaps Porzingis #8 of the Boston Celtics watches a free throw against the Chicago Bulls.
Considering how Porzingis has had his fair share of struggles when it comes to staying on the court throughout his career, the Hawks are likely thrilled that he is putting off these MMA plans until after he’s done playing basketball. Given these comments, though, it sounds like Porzingis is very serious in pursuing this venture once he’s done with the NBA.
Porzingis is only 30 years old, so he should have several more good years in front of him. The Hawks are investing in him with the hope that his presence can elevate them in a weak Eastern Conference, and if all goes according to plan, Atlanta could emerge as a dark horse team to keep tabs on once the playoffs roll around.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Hawks Star Kristaps Porzingis Reveals Surprising Post-Retirement Career Goal appeared first on Heavy Sports.