Porzingis ready to face idol Nowitzki for 1st time

The time for New York Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis to match up against his fellow European hero will finally happen tonight when Dirk Nowitzki's Dallas Mavericks visit Madison Square Garden.

Over the course of the season, the 20-year-old Latvian has not been shy about proclaiming his admiration for the German legend who has had a brilliant 17-year career in the NBA.

"He's one of the best of all time," Porzingis said, according to ESPN.com. "Dirk's just amazing. I want to be as great as a shooter as he is one day, hopefully."

But what Porzingis could not have expected was that Nowitzki had taken a special interest in him and even went so far as to say the rookie is no flash in the pan.

"Every tall European now who comes over and can shoot is going to be compared to me, but he looks like he's for real," Nowitzki said in an earlier interview to ESPN.com. "He's got a lot of ways to go, but the upside this kid has is just tremendous."

The Latvian, in turn, hopes to live up to his hero's expectations.

"I'm just trying to walk in his footsteps. I would like to be as great as he is," he said.

Mutual admiration between the two players aside, it seems fans will also be in awe as they watch this 7-footer showdown.