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Impressive Play By Knicks Rookie Porzingis Already Translating Into Strong Jersey Sales

Knicks F Kristaps Porzingis scored a career-high 29 points Tuesday night against the Hornets, and Modell's Sporting Goods is "already capitalizing on the Porzingis craze" surrounding the "hottest player" in N.Y., according to Christian Red of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Modell's license buyer Dave Brown said that as of yesterday afternoon, the company's online store "was sold out of Porzingis No. 6 jerseys, and the Modell’s store next to MSG was down to nine Porzingis items." Brown said that in advance of Black Friday, Modell’s stores throughout the city "will be stocked with Porzingis threads." Brown: “Right now, we have Porzingis jerseys in 40 stores in New York. We have a very good amount on the way to the online (Modell’s) store and a very, very large amount on its way to the store next to the Garden. By next Wednesday, his jerseys will be in all the chain stores in New York and our inventory will quadruple. After (Tuesday’s) win, the sales over three days equaled all the sales from last week.” Modell's CEO Mitch Modell said, "It's just starting, but it's nowhere near Linsanity." Red notes for a month-long stretch in the '12-13 season, then-Knicks G Jeremy Lin's jersey and T-shirts with "Linsanity" stitched on them "flew off the shelves." Porzingis' agent, Andy Miller, said that while his client is "only 12 games into the NBA regular season, Porzingis’ early performance has definitely caught Madison Avenue’s attention." Miller said of possible business deals, "The dialogue has been ongoing and continues to be, but it’s more aggressive now. It won’t affect the brand-building process." Brown said, "Linsanity was a four-week craziness. Here, (Porzingis) is a rookie, he’s under contract, and Knicks fans can see something to build with" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/19).

STAYING POWER? N.Y. Daily News’ Frank Isola said of comparing Porzingis to Lin, "We’ve been down this road before. But Porzingas has staying power assuming he can stay healthy." The Washington Post’s Kevin Blackistone said for Porzingas to "stand up to" all the expectations, pressure and media attention that come with playing in N.Y. and "do what he’s done so far is remarkable" (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 11/18). In N.Y., Scott Cacciola writes, "After so much suffering, and in the wake of last season’s hazmat spill, fans can be forgiven for their collective case of Porzingitis. The cheers, the chants -- these are the sounds of hope. If New York has gone overboard for him, it is entirely understandable" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/19).

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