We knew Bobby Portis was coming to the New York Knicks with an edge, but his reported feud with Dwyane Wade in Chicago sheds new light.
The New York Knicks are bringing in a forward with an attitude—Bobby Portis. He is most well-known for his altercation with Nikola Mirotic in Chicago, but he reportedly struggled to mesh with Dwyane Wade as well.
According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Portis took issue with Wade after the future Hall of Famer called out his younger teammates to the media. Portis later challenged Wade in a team meeting and intensely defended his own work ethic after a long stare down from Portis.
“Wade finally says, ‘What’s up, Bobby?’’’ the NBA source told Berman. “Bobby laid into him, saying, ‘You might be a better player, but don’t ever challenge my work ethic.’ He accused Wade of not working hard enough by not practicing.’’
On one hand, head coach David Fizdale has to love the competitive fire Portis is bringing to New York. The Knicks lacked an identity last season and they need to figure out who they are. Perhaps Portis’ edge can help the Knicks develop into a rough-and-tumble team.
That type of team would make sense considering Fizdale comes from the Pat Riley coaching tree and the famed culture of the Miami Heat. It’s ironic that Portis had beef with Wade, the walking embodiment of Heat culture.
But if Portis isn’t afraid to call out a first-ballot Hall of Famer, he’ll have no problem holding any of his new teammates accountable.
