Latvian federation says door is open for Porziņģis, even on the bench

The door to Latvia’s national team remains open for Kristaps Porziņģis even if his health keeps him off the court, Kaspars Cipruss, secretary general of the Latvian Basketball Association (LBS), told the YouTube channel 11LV. “Whatever problems he has, we would gladly see him even on the bench, so that he is next to the team,” he said.

Late on 6 November, Porziņģis announced he was stepping away from basketball indefinitely to focus on his health. He did not join the national team in the summer while dealing with symptoms of POTS, a condition that affects heart rate and blood pressure, and missed the World Cup qualifiers.

Summer talks

Cipruss said there had been discussion in the summer of Porziņģis joining the team even if he could not play. “There was some talk that he could be somewhere around the team in the summer. Not to play, but simply to be with the team. But I can’t say anything more,” he said.

‘The coach talks about the will to play’

Cipruss said Dairis Bertāns and Emīls Toms talk to national team players, including Porziņģis. The federation only speaks to agents when there are problems or insurance to arrange, he said, something it learnt from former head coach Luca Banchi. “The coach talks to players about their will to play, because in the end it is the team that has to play, not its management. Players know when they have to come: either a player wants to come, or he is injured, or he simply does not want to come,” Cipruss said.

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