NBA Draft 2015: Frank Kaminsky selected No. 9 by Charlotte Hornets

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The Wisconsin big man is headed to Charlotte to meet Michael Jordan.

Wisconsin forward/center Frank Kaminsky was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 9 pick in Thursday night's NBA draft in Brooklyn.

Kaminsky, 22, spent four years at Wisconsin and emerged in his senior year as one of the country's top overall players. The 7-footer with guard-like ball skills and deft mobility carried the Badgers, along with fellow first-round draft pick Sam Dekker, to within minutes of the national championship before falling to Duke.

As a senior, Kaminsky averaged 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, all team highs. He shot 54.7 percent from the field, including 58.1 percent on two-pointers and 41.6 percent from deep. He exhibited and really honed his trademark inside-out game against some of the top players in this draft, including Jahlil Okafor, Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein and more.


The Lisle, Ill., native also became one of college basketball's most unique personalities -- just take a look at his predraft ads for JCPenney for evidence. Wisconsin fans know that goofiness is nothing new.

College basketball's reigning player of the year becomes the third straight power forward/center from the Big Ten selected by the Hornets, following Indiana's Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh. Vonleh was traded just yesterday along with Gerald Henderson to Portland for Nicolas Batum. With Al Jefferson anchoring Buzz City's offensive attack down low, Kaminsky's ability to stretch the defense could earn him minutes right away on a team that struggled to score from the outside a year ago.

Ironically, Charlotte was the franchise whose fan base Kaminsky infamously jabbed last season after announcing he would return to Wisconsin for his senior season (h/t @jpcadorin). Hopefully any hard feelings in Buzz City went out the window with the Bobcats nickname.

UPDATE: Kaminsky also had this totally boss suit jacket:

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