Frank Kaminsky - NBA Draft

I go back and forth. A year ago, I didn't think he was more than an ok pro... he'll have a good career. But after this season, with him taking on all comers and thriving? I think he's a lot better than a long list of big men.

Strength is an issue- if he can get strong enough to take on guys like Mosgoff or Howard or Gasol. These are big strong guys... Kaminsky is not going push these guys in the paint. He has to get a lot stronger to go after these guys.

His attributes- footwork, touch, outside shooting, passing, and ball handling- man... How can he not have a successful, if not All Star level career?

I think Frankie will do alright on any NBA team ...

I hope he gets picked by the Spurs

Despite what a lot of us say about the NBA, coaching does matter. If Frank would play for the Spurs he'd be put into a position to succeed. If he ends up with the Sixers, Knicks, Wolves, etc. he'll be put into a position to fail.

I hope he gets picked by the Bucks

Just like people go nuts hoping Ted Thompson will sign Badger football players, they hope Badger basketball players will wind up on the Bucks. 

I think he'd do just fine as a Buck... and they need a post player who can score. Like The Dekker thread... Would you rather have him or Ilyasova? I know which one I'd pick...

The Bucks are going to end up picking at something like #17. If Kaminsky lasted that long, he'd be great value at that spot.

 

Dekker would probably be about right at that spot, but I'd rather have Kaminsky than Dekker.

 

Some mocks have Kevon Looney going in the top 10, well above Kaminsky. I'm not sure there is one thing that Looney is better than Kaminsky at right now.

NBA draft seems to be more about potential than actual current skills.

It's amazing to me that the NBA draft tends to downplay the ability to shoot the ball. The ability to hit open shots should be the safest thing to project from college to the NBA and yet the draft always skews towards guys who are "athletic" and they figure they can teach those guys how to shoot better once they get to the NBA.

 

The best example was the 2009 draft. Stephen Curry was one of the best shooters I've ever seen in college. Yet, the three guys drafted right before him were all guards who had shown they couldn't shoot in college - Jonny Flynn shot 33% from 3 in college and ended up at 33% in the NBA. Tyreke Evans shot 27% from 3 in college and has shot 27% from 3 in the NBA. Ricky Rubio came into the league with the reputation for being a terrible shooter and has shot 31% from three. In contrast, Curry shot 41% from 3 in college and 44% in the NBA. I would have bet my house that Curry would have at least been a good shooter in the NBA since there was ample evidence that he could shoot.

 

1	LAC	Blake Griffin	Oklahoma
2	MEM	Hasheem Thabeet	Connecticut
3	OKC	James Harden	Arizona State
4	SAC	Tyreke Evans	Memphis
5	MIN	Ricky Rubio	Spain
6	MIN	Jonny Flynn	Syracuse
7	GSW	Stephen Curry	Davidson College

 

There is no question that Kaminsky can shoot. Not only that, he hit some monster 3s in very high pressure situations. It's safe to say that he'll make shots consistently in the NBA. I'm not so sure about Dekker. If doesn't become more consistent from the outside, he'll never be more than a role player since defenses will just sag off of him and let him have open shots.

And all you need to look at is the Warriors and the Spurs to see the value of shooting. They can spread the floor and make you pick your poison. And while Kaminsky can be considered a stretch 4, the fact that he can drive and play with his back to the basket makes him much more than that.

He doesn't really play "above the rim" but he's not below it either. His array of ball fakes give him the space he needs, and he has a soft touch to score off balance.

My concern is defense. That's where the red flags pop. He gets bullied in the paint- and while got got away with that in the college game with his height, that's not going to cut it in the NBA. He has to be able to keep guys out of the paint. Hit the weights, kid...

In both fb and bb a lot depends on which team drafts them.  Team style, coaching and ownership goes a long way.  Not many organizations have any patience for development, miss a couple of shots, blow a d assignment and down the bench you go.

 

Frank has skills, and is a willing type player, a good coach should be able to put him in position to do well.  Dekker?  IMO needs to get more consistent and develope a bit more for lack of a better word, confindence when things go wrong. He disappears in the NBA like he sometimes did at Wisconsin and his career will be short.

 

Good wishes to both.

“My game can translate to the NBA” -Traevon Jackson (Wisconsin) pic.twitter.com/Stz3ypXBKh

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) May 7, 2015

Kaminisky is not a great defender and that is where he will get exposed in the pros.   However, he's a good passer and can shoot for a big man so he can make a team as a decent role player.

Yeah... But there's that stupid turnover thing...

Agreed! Dribble, dribble turnover is the NBA way.