WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland's prime minister has made a tongue-in-cheek offer to U.S. actor and director Jesse Eisenberg, who recently gained Polish citizenship, to give him military training that would land him “the new James Bond role.”
Poland's president earlier this month conferred the country's citizenship on Eisenberg, who has Polish heritage. On Saturday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted a video on social network X that showed him watching a clip of an appearance by Eisenberg on NBC's The Tonight Show.
In that appearance, Eisenberg said, to laughter, that a day after he received citizenship he looked at the news “and the top story was ‘Poland now requires all males to participate in military training.’”
In his video, Tusk said: “Dear Jesse, there's really nothing to be afraid of!” He noted that military training is voluntary.
“So come over to Poland! And we'll give you such a training that, the new James Bond role? It's yours!”
Tusk said on March 7 that his government was working on a plan to prepare large-scale military training for every adult male in response to the changing security situation in Europe. He said that there’s a need for an army of 500,000 soldiers, more than double the current number, which would include reservists.
On Tuesday, he said the government intends to put 100,000 volunteers through military training each year starting in 2027 as it seeks to build an army of reservists. He said he was "convinced that there will be no shortage of volunteers.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk speaks at the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, in Warsaw, Poland, Friday March 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Jesse Eisenberg arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
NEW YORK (AP) — Kristaps Porzingis kept working to return, only to get knocked back again by a mysterious illness that sapped his strength.
He finally felt well enough to play again Saturday night, and his big finish showed why the Boston Celtics believe they are so much more dangerous with their man in the middle.
Porzingis scored 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter after missing the previous eight games, helping the Celtics hold on for a 115-113 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
“Honestly as the game went on I felt better and better,” Porzingis said. “Kind of had a little crash in the third, but pushed through it and I had a great fourth, and it was a close one but I’m happy we got it done.”
The 7-foot-3 center hadn't played since Feb. 26 in a loss at Detroit. His illness began with what he said was an upper respiratory infection that turned into something worse, perhaps bronchitis. He said testing never determined exactly what it was, though he was negative for mononucleosis.
“It was extremely, extremely frustrating just not knowing what I had,” Porzingis said.
He tried to come back for a showdown at home against the Lakers on March 8, pushing himself through a hard workout the day before.
“But then the crash I had was, like, historic the next day,” he said. “I couldn’t even get out of bed to go to shootaround.”
He tried again that night but realized his energy was still so low that he wouldn't help the team. A week later, he said he still didn't feel perfect but good enough to give it a go. Coach Joe Mazzulla said after the game Porzingis had a restriction of about 32 minutes, longer than Porzingis expected to play.
“Today I thought I was going to play like 20 minutes, but Joe told me mid-fourth, he was like, ‘I’m not going to take you out,’” Porzingis said. “So just bite down and let’s go.”
He ended up at 32 after playing the entire period, and had a three-point play and his only 3-pointer on consecutive possessions midway through the quarter that made it 100-92 after the Nets had cut a 21-point deficit to two.
Porzingis came in averaging 18.9 points but has been limited to just 33 games and Saturday was only his fourth game since the All-Star break. Mazzulla said the Latvian has remained optimistic even throughout his absences.
“When he’s able to play, he always plays,” Mazzulla said, “and when he’s not, he does the necessary steps, whether it’s in the weight room, on the court or in the training room to try to put himself in position to play.”
Derrick White (bruised left knee) and Al Horford (sprained left big toe) sat out Saturday on the second night of back-to-back games after the defending NBA champions won in Miami on Friday and clinched a playoff spot. The Celtics then lost Jaylen Brown in the second half to lower back spasms.
But having Porzingis back was good enough to pull them through.
“He’s been really, really sick, dealing with an illness, so just for him to get back and get his rhythm back is good for us, especially at this stretch before the playoffs,” guard Payton Pritchard said. “Get his legs under him.”
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Boston Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis (8) drives to the basket against Brooklyn Nets' Keon Johnson (45) and Ziaire Williams (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) drives to the basket against Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe (20) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) dunks against during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Boston Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis (8) dunks ahead of Brooklyn Nets' Day'Ron Sharpe during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
