NBA
#9 Charlotte Hornets: Frank Kaminsky
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
The Charlotte Hornets used the ninth overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft to select talented forward Frank Kaminsky from the University of Wisconsin. Outside of Karl-Anthony Towns (selected No. 1 overall) and Jahlil Okafor (selected No. 3 overall), Kaminsky was arguably the best big man in the draft.
The Hornets have been busy since the season ended, trading forward Lance Stephenson to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Spencer Hawes, dealing for Nicolas Batum from Portland and securing Jeremy Lamb from Oklahoma City. The team was also informed by talented big man Al Jefferson that he was opting in to the final year of his contract instead of testing free agency.
The addition of Batum, Hawes, Lamb and the selection of Kaminsky add much more perimeter firepower to Charlotte’s lineup. The Hornets’ offense struggled to consistently stretch opposing defenses throughout last season and the team surprisingly missed the playoffs. All four of the new additions can hit the perimeter jumper, which in turn will open up the paint for Jefferson on the interior.
Kaminsky, a consensus first team All-American this past season, averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds on 55 percent shooting as a senior, leading Wisconsin to the National Championship game.
The Hornets envision Kaminsky as a stretch-four in their rotation. Kaminsky spoke at length about making a transition to this exact role at the pro level.
“[I’m] turning myself into a four,” Kaminsky said at a Santa Barbara workout in front of NBA executives before the draft.
“In college, I played the five for so long. I know I can play the four. I just have to pick up the nuances,” he continued. “The NBA values big guys that can stretch the floor.”
Kaminsky projects to see immediate playing time as a rookie.
