Golden State Warriors star center Kristaps Porzingis has surfaced in Colombia, undergoing what appears to be a dental procedure with orthodontist Dr. Bruno Pereira. Dr. Pereira shared a photo of himself and Porzingis on Instagram, captioning it, "Always a pleasure to treat a champion 🏆 Great having @kporzee in the chair – NBA champion, gentleman, and proof that big smiles come in big sizes."
The post quickly drew attention and a strong reaction from Warriors fans, many of whom expressed frustration on social media regarding Porzingis's absence from the team. Comments ranged from criticism about the timing of the procedure during the offseason to demands for his return to the court. One user wrote, "You had all offseason to do ts," while another questioned, "What?!? That’s why you aren’t playing?"
Porzingis has been ruled out indefinitely from the NBA season due to a mystery illness, a development announced shortly before the current season began. Earlier in October, coach Steve Kerr indicated that Porzingis would not be traveling with the team due to his ongoing health issues.
History of Injuries and Health Concerns
Porzingis has a history of significant injuries throughout his career, most notably an ACL tear in 2018. During the 2023-2024 season, he played a career-high 65 games for the Boston Celtics, contributing to their NBA championship win. However, that season also saw him struggle with respiratory issues, leading coach Joe Mazzulla to reveal in May 2025 that Porzingis was benched during the playoffs due to difficulty breathing.
Originally traded from Boston to the Atlanta Hawks in the 2025 offseason, Porzingis was subsequently traded to the Warriors at the trade deadline last year. In his 15 games with Golden State last season, he averaged 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks. This past offseason, Porzingis and the Warriors agreed to a two-year, $40 million contract extension.