To prioritize his health... Warriors' Porzingis is stepping away from basketball

Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis said Friday that he will step away from basketball to prioritize his health.

The Warriors previously said that the Latvian player (31 years old) would be absent from the field for an indefinite period; Due to an undisclosed health problem, before he announced on October 21 that he would not be with the team in the “near future.”

Porzingis, who helped the Boston Celtics win the NBA title in 2024, discovered last year that he had a problem that causes the heart rate to increase excessively when standing.

In a statement posted on social media on Friday, Porzingis said his body did not respond the way he expected this season.

He said: “I am fine, but I know what it takes, and I am not in the position I want to perform to perform as I expect from myself. “At this point I made the decision to prioritize my health and step away from the game I love.”

Porzingis, who joined Golden State in a trade last February, was absent from the team during training camp and the beginning of the preseason, and did not participate in any games this season.

The 7-foot-2-inch (2.19-meter) player this summer extended his contract with the Warriors for two years, worth $40 million. ESPN reported that Golden State stopped paying Porzingis’ dues throughout his absence from the team.

The Latvian player said that he would work with the team to “find a logical solution.”

Kimi Antonelli, who recently clinched the Formula 1 World Championship title, recorded the best time on Friday in the second free practice of the Brazilian Grand Prix scheduled in Sao Paulo on Sunday, after McLaren driver Lando Norris topped the first practice at the Interlagos circuit.

Mercedes driver Antonelli scored one minute and 10.763 seconds, followed by Norris in second place, 0.253 seconds behind, while Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, a four-time world champion, came in third, 0.259 seconds behind the lead.

The Italian driver said in reference to the qualifying trials that will be held later on Saturday: “There is still some work to be done, but I feel good in general and excited about today.” “I think we have a good chance.”

Hansi Flick, the coach of the Spanish team Barcelona, ​​faces a crucial decision before his club's upcoming trip to face its host Atletico Madrid in the twelfth round of the Spanish Football League championship.

Barcelona leads the competition with 30 points, two points ahead of its closest competitor, Atletico, while Real Madrid is in third place with 27 points.

With the absence of veteran star Rodri, the German coach is studying the options available to accompany Pedri in the midfield, where three names stand out, each of which has different characteristics.

During the match, which is being held at the “Riyadh Air Metropolitano” stadium, Barcelona must find a careful balance between possession of the ball and dealing with the physical strength of the host team.