The NBA Draft's Kiwi connection

4th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Kristaps Porzingis is very familiar to a few Kiwi players. Photo / Getty

There may not have been a New Zealander drafted, but there was still a strong Kiwi connection to some of the top names going in the NBA Draft yesterday.

Former NBA talent Kirk Penney was teammates this season with three players who were selected in the 2015 NBA draft, most notably fourth pick Kristaps Porzignis.

Porzingis - a Latvian forward with huge potential - was drafted by the New York Knicks and met with a cacophony of boos, something Penney disagreed with.

Another Kiwi playing in Spain- Isaac Fotu - shared his experiences from going up against the opinion-splitting Porzinigis.

Why they booing? That dude Porzingis is NICE

— Isaac Fotu 🤙🏽 (@Ifotu42) June 26, 2015

Played against Porzingis twice, super talented but just a bit soft #my2cents

— Isaac Fotu 🤙🏽 (@Ifotu42) June 26, 2015

Along with Porzingis, Penney also played alongside Guillermo Hernangómez and Nikola Radicevic at Sevilla, both who were drafted yesterday.

Hernangómez was selected 35th by the Philadelphia 76ers before being traded to the New York Knicks, while Radicevic was picked 57th by the Denver Nuggets.

Penney's alma mater of Wisconsin also had two players drafted highly, with Frank Kaminsky going ninth to the Charlotte Hornets and Sam Dekker being selected 18th by the Houston Rockets.

Finally, Penney and Fotu both went up against the talented Barcelona guard Mario Hejonza this season, who went fifth to the Orlando Magic.

Fotu did not have fond memories of the encounter.

When Mario Hezonja gets drafted I hope they don't show the 8 3s he hit on us. He was 8/8 from 3 that game 😑😑

— Isaac Fotu 🤙🏽 (@Ifotu42) June 26, 2015