Witnessing a talented athlete gradually vanish due to something that doctors are still trying to identify, rather than a broken bone or torn ligament, which can be repaired with surgery, can be particularly frustrating. It is unsettling to observe the current state of affairs surrounding Kristaps Porzingis.
The 31-year-old center for the Golden State Warriors used X on Wednesday, October 14, to respond to the mounting rumors regarding his precise condition. The tone of the post was completely human—resigned and a little irritated. He stated that he is “working with doctors and experts” to regain full health and that he is “getting better and better.”
He then clarified that he does not “have HIV or AIDS,” which may be the most bizarre statement any NBA player has had to write in recent memory. It’s difficult to read that without feeling something. That shouldn’t have to be said in public. The extent to which the internet’s rumor mill had spread is evident from the fact that he did.
This has a long history. After getting what was described as an upper respiratory viral illness in late February 2025, Porzingis started experiencing symptoms while playing for the Boston Celtics. What ought to have been a common illness persisted and changed. Weariness set in. His heart rate was not normal.
Eventually, the doctors on the Celtics team determined that he had postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, a disorder that affects blood flow and can cause patients to feel exhausted and lightheaded, sometimes extremely so. For many, it’s manageable. For a professional athlete who must run up and down a court for more than thirty minutes every night, it’s a serious issue.
Knowing Porzingis’ medical history, the Warriors traded him to the Atlanta Hawks in February 2026. Then, presumably thinking they understood what they were getting, they re-signed him during the summer. A different story emerged in the first few weeks of the 2026–2027 preseason. He did not go to training camp in Hawaii with the team.
The team declared that he would be “out indefinitely” because of a medical condition. He had been completely cut off from the team until his return to the facility on Tuesday. No one, including Porzingis, seems to know for sure whether the current state of affairs is a continuation of the POTS, a different viral illness that is still being identified, or something else entirely.
It’s still unclear if this is the same illness that afflicted him in Boston or if it’s something completely different on top of a body that has already endured a lot. Throughout his career, Porzingis has battled a torn ACL, a number of other injuries, and now this non-injury health issue that is difficult to classify. He wrote that it has been “frustrating dealing with some health stuff that you can’t exactly pinpoint, on top of injuries throughout my career,” admitting as much. He seems to genuinely mean that. This isn’t an excuse from a player.
The Warriors’ choice to support him is noteworthy. Despite being fully aware of his health issues, Golden State signed him once more this past summer. It’s up for debate whether that indicates a lack of better options at center, their medical team’s optimism, or their faith in his eventual recovery. There aren’t many specific deadlines provided by coach Steve Kerr. For the time being, the team is merely stating that he will continue to be present but on the sidelines.
A player of Porzingis’ caliber—a legitimate 7-footer with soft hands, a dependable three-point shooter, and genuine defensive potential—spending what ought to be his prime years navigating a condition that most sports fans had never heard of before he brought it into the mainstream is poignant. Although POTS is not uncommon in the general population, it is practically unknown in the NBA.
From a distance, the most sympathetic interpretation of this situation is that Porzingis is genuinely working through a difficult situation and will eventually regain his form. The more depressing idea is that his career might already be characterized more by the frailty of the body that held those extraordinary talents than by what he accomplished on the court. He promises to return. That’s about all anyone has to cling to for the time being.
FAQs
Q1: What illness has Kristaps Porzingis been diagnosed with?
Celtics doctors diagnosed him with POTS, a condition causing fatigue and an abnormal heart rate.
Q2: When did Porzingis first start experiencing health problems?
Symptoms began after a respiratory viral illness in late February 2025 with the Celtics.
Q3: Is Porzingis currently playing for the Golden State Warriors?
No — the Warriors have ruled him out indefinitely due to ongoing health issues.
Q4: Did Porzingis address the HIV and AIDS rumors publicly?
Yes, he posted on X confirming he does not have HIV or AIDS.
Q5: Did the Warriors know about his health issues before signing him?
Yes, they re-signed him in summer 2026 with full knowledge of his medical history.