Category: Badgers in NBA

Wisconsin Badgers legend dominates in second USA Basketball appearance

Wisconsin Badgers legend dominates in second USA Basketball appearance

Wisconsin basketball legend Frank Kaminsky dominated in his second appearance with the 2024 USA Men’s AmeriCup qualifying team on Monday night.

In the second leg of his USA Basketball debut, Kaminsky once against started alongside David Stockton, Robert Covington, Paul Watson and Javonte Smart. The UW legend scored 14 points, grabbed a team-leading seven rebounds, dished a team-best four assists and tallied a game-high two blocks in more than 20 minutes of action against the Bahamas.

Kaminsky’s stellar performance helped the Americans secure a 97-74 win. The USA holds the top spot in Pool D of the qualifying window with teams eyeing the AmeriCup Tournament in 2025.

In his first taste of FIBA action on Friday, Kaminsky notched 10 points, three assists and two steals in over 15 minutes against Puerto Rico.

Kaminsky’s performance reminded onlookers of what he’s capable of. The big man can stretch the floor, defend down low and execute in the painted area with swift footwork.

His most recent taste of professional action was when he joined the Phoenix Suns training camp roster in late September. The Suns, however, waived Kaminsky on Oct. 12 ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season.

Still, he has proved his worth on several NBA teams. In eight NBA seasons, Kaminsky averaged 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 43% shooting and 35% from 3. He most recently appeared in 26 games for the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets in 2022-23.

At Wisconsin, the 7-footer pocketed the 2015 National College Player of the Year award and was a consensus first-team All-American with the Badgers. As nearly every Badger hoop fanatic knows, he was UW’s go-to option on consecutive trips to the Final Four in 2014 and 2015.

Report: Former Wisconsin Badger to have option declined, become free agent

Report: Former Wisconsin Badger set to have option declined, become free agent

The Washington Wizards are declining to pick up former Wisconsin Badger Johnny Davis’ team option for the 2025-26 season, according to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins.

That means Davis, who joined the Wizards as the 10th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, would become an unrestricted free agent.

Related: Big Ten basketball power rankings entering 2024-25 season: A first look at the expanded conference

This news doesn’t come as a huge surprise as Davis continues to struggle to establish his position at the NBA level. The shooting guard is currently playing just 5.3 minutes per game for a Wizards team that again projects to finish near the bottom of the league.

Those 5.3 minutes per game, albeit just three games into the 2024-25 season, also include averages of 0.7 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.3 assists on 25% shooting. Those numbers are all down from his totals from the 2023-24 season — a year that saw him appear in a career-high 50 games at the NBA level.

Davis is currently listed on the Wizards depth chart behind rookies Carlton Carrington and Kyshawn George, veterans Corey Kispert and Jared Butler, and others. That, again, for a team that currently ranks No. 30 in ESPN’s latest power rankings.

Davis’ career-long NBA averages include 13 minutes per game, 3.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.3 steals on 39% shooting and 28% from three. That is in 81 total games over two-plus seasons in the league.

The Wizards can still re-sign the former Badger star once he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Give his diminished role with the organization, it’s hard to see that becoming the case.

A change of scenery could be what’s necessary for the 2022 AP Big Ten Player of the Year and First-Team All-American. This will be a story worth monitoring with few former Badgers currently playing at the NBA level.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Wisconsin basketball legend is back in the NBA

Wisconsin basketball legend is back in the NBA

Wisconsin basketball legend Frank Kaminsky signed a training camp contract with the Phoenix Suns this week, according to his representation at Priority Sports.

Kaminsky is back in the NBA, at least for the time being, after playing the 2023-24 season with Partizan Belgrade in Serbia. He played 57 games during the team’s EuroLeague season, averaging 8.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

Related: Big Ten basketball teams ranked by returning production entering 2024-25 season

The former Badger played three seasons in Phoenix (2019-22). He played a consistent reserve role on the Suns team that lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA Finals.

This season would be Kaminsky’s 11th in the NBA if he makes the Suns’ regular-season roster.

His career averages are 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 43% shooting and 35% from three. His best seasons came with the Charlotte Hornets in 2016-17 and 2017-18: He eclipsed 23 minutes and 11 points per game in each season.

Kaminsky’s college career needs no explanation. The 2015 National College Player of the Year and consensus first-team All-American was the driving force behind back-to-back trips to the Final Four and the program getting on the doorstep of winning a national title. His No. 44 is retired in the Kohl Center rafters.

The Badger great joins Johnny Davis (Washington Wizards) and Micah Potter (Utah Jazz) as the only former Badgers in the NBA. All three are looking to carve out significant roles entering the upcoming season.

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Former Wisconsin tight end dodges severe injury in Week 1 win over Browns

Former Wisconsin tight end dodges injury bullet in Week 1 win over Browns

Former Wisconsin tight end Jake Ferguson appears to have avoided a serious injury in the Dallas Cowboys’ Week 1 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

Ferguson, a Pro Bowl selection in 2023, suffered a left leg injury with just over six minutes to play in the third quarter after attempting to hurdle Browns’ linebacker Jordan Hicks.

He landed awkwardly and immediately grabbed for his left knee area before being assisted off the field and onto the sidelines.

Dallas would ultimately secure the 33-17 victory over Cleveland in Ohio, but Ferguson was forced to head to the locker room before receiving an evaluation on the leg.

Fortunately, the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Ferguson avoided an ACL tear based on initial tests. X-Rays were negative, and the former Badger will undergo an MRI on Monday.

The talented tight end is fresh off a productive 2023 campaign with the Cowboys, a season in which he logged 71 catches, 761 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also snagged 10 catches for 93 yards and three scores in Dallas’ playoff loss to Green Bay.

He, alongside star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, have become the go-to options for the NFL’s highest paid QB Dak Prescott. Barring a catastrophic result from his MRI, Ferguson figures to be a valuable resource for America’s Team for the remainder of the season.

The grandson of former UW Athletic Director Barry Alvarez, Ferguson pocketed 145 total receptions, 1,618 receiving yards (an average of 404.5 per season) and 13 touchdowns as a Badger from 2018-21.

Former Wisconsin guard participates in third straight summer league

Former Wisconsin guard participating in third straight Summer League

The 2025 NBA Summer League officially starts on Friday, and former Wisconsin Badgers guard Johnny Davis will be participating for the third straight year with the Washington Wizards.

Davis was selected 10th in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft by the Wizards, but he hasn’t found a consistent groove in the league. The 6-foot-4 guard appeared in 50 games in his second season in the NBA this past year, averaging 3 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 40.3% from the field.

The 22-year-old will play alongside Washington’s three first-round picks from the 2024 NBA draft: big man Alexandre Sarr (No. 2), guard Bub Carrington (No. 14) and Kyshawn George (No. 24).

With the Wizards coming off a rather disappointing 15-67 season, their sixth consecutive losing campaign, the summer league represents an opportunity for their young assets to get more comfortable with one another, and Davis will look to take advantage.

Report: Wisconsin basketball great Sam Dekker tries out for three NBA teams

Report: Former Wisconsin great Sam Dekker tries out for three NBA teams

Former Wisconsin Badgers great Sam Dekker has recently tried for three NBA teams: the Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks.

This news is courtesy of the CapTimes’ Mike Lucas, who recently caught up with Dekker as he looks to make his return to the NBA.

Related: Big Ten basketball teams ranked by returning production entering 2024-25 season

Dekker has spent the last three seasons overseas after spending part of the 2021 season with the Toronto Raptors. He only spent parts of five campaigns in the NBA after being selected as the No. 18 overall pick in the first round of the 2015 NBA draft.

The majority of his career has been split between the VTB United League in Russia (2019-2020), the Turkish Basketball Super League in Turkey (2020-2021, 2021-2022) and the British Basketball League in England (2022-present).

Dekker’s most recent stop has been by far his most successful. The Wisconsin great led the London Lions to the 2023 British Basketball League Cup championship, earning league and finals MVP honors in the process. His season stat line included 20.8 minutes, 18.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals on 53% shooting.

It appears Dekker has finally recaptured the form that helped him lead the Wisconsin Badgers to two Final Four appearances and one trip to the national championship game.

Given the clear interest showed by some of the league’s top contenders, it appears that the 6-foot, 9-inch small forward is well on his way toward taking his refound game back to the best basketball league in the world.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

Former Wisconsin forward Tyler Wahl finds home for 2024 NBA Summer League

Tyler Wahl finds home for NBA Summer League

The 2024 NBA Draft is in the books and although former Wisconsin Badgers forward Tyler Wahl wasn’t selected, he has found a home to play in this year’s NBA Summer League.

Wahl will be a part of his hometown Timberwolves roster during summer league, giving him a chance to compete with other NBA hopefuls who went undrafted, as well as those that did.

Minnesota added two first round players in the first round of the draft Wednesday, bringing in Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham (8th overall) via trade from the Spurs and Illinois wing Terrence Shannon Jr. (27th overall).

Wahl spent five seasons with the Badgers from 2019-2024, appearing in 162 games, including 121 starts. Most recently, Wahl averaged 10.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in 2023-2024.

The NBA Summer League will take place July 12-22 in Las Vegas. The 6-foot-9, 220-pound athlete will have an uphill battle to make the Timberwolves’ roster, if he impresses in Las Vegas, he could garner a spot on the team’s G-League team in Iowa.

Former Wisconsin forward gets NBA workout with Utah Jazz

Former Wisconsin forward gets NBA workout with Utah Jazz

Former Wisconsin forward Tyler Wahl recently worked out with the Utah Jazz, according to KSTP’s Darren Wolfson.

Wahl was one of the several NBA draft-eligible players to work out with the Jazz according to Wolfson, along with Melvin Ajinca, Ulrich Chomche, Tyler Kolek (Marquette) and Ajay Mitchell (UCSB).

Related: Wisconsin basketball 2024-25 starting lineup, rotation and bench with Andrija Vukovic signing

The five-year Wisconsin veteran exhausted his final year of eligibility in 2023-24. He is now working to start his professional basketball career and has already had several pre-draft workouts.

Wahl’s decorated Wisconsin career came to an end after 162 appearances — 121 of them starts. His final per-game averages included 26.2 minutes, 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 steals on 47.7% shooting.

His most productive statistical season came in 2021-22 on a Badgers team that won the Big Ten regular season title. He averaged 30.5 minutes, 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals on 51% shooting that season as he, Johnny Davis and Chucky Hepburn led one of the best Wisconsin teams over the last decade.

The versatile forward played an integral role in Wisconsin’s success since joining the team in 2019. The Badgers won two Big Ten regular season titles in that span, including the 2021-22 team’s exceptional 25-8 overall record and 15-5 mark in Big Ten play.

He and the Badgers did not carry that play into the postseason. But Wahl was at the center of a lively half-decade of Wisconsin basketball.

The former Badger is not expected to be selected in the upcoming NBA draft. The Jazz have picks No. 10 and 29 in the first round, plus No. 32 overall at the start of the second round. It’s a near impossibility that the Jazz select Wahl with any of those picks. His likely NBA path is via a training camp invite or G-League contract.

Wahl could also follow the long line of successful Wisconsin players to find professional success overseas. Brad Davison, Nigel Hayes, Ethan Happ, Nate Reuvers and Sam Dekker all have found success taking that route.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

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Report: Former Wisconsin basketball star works out for Philadelphia 76ers

Report: Former Wisconsin basketball star works out for Philadelphia 76ers

Former Wisconsin basketball star Sam Dekker recently worked out for the Philadelphia 76ers, according to NBC Philadelphia’s John Clark.

Dekker most recently played in the NBA with the Toronto Raptors for one game during the 2021-2022 season. His long and winding professional career led him to the British Basketball League’s London Lions, where he has spent the last two seasons.

Related: Wisconsin basketball 2024-25 starting lineup, rotation and bench with Andrija Vukovic signing

The 30-year-old’s career has included stops in the NBA with the Houston Rockets (2015-2017), Los Angeles Clippers (2017-2018), Cleveland Cavaliers (2018), Washington Wizards (2018-2019) and Raptors (2021). He has also played in Russia for Lokomotiv Kuban (2019-2020), and in Turkey for Turk Telekom (2020-2021) and Bahçeşehir Koleji (2021-2022).

The Wisconsin legend’s recent stop with the London Lions has been his best as a professional. His 2023 season included per-game averages of 20.8 minutes, 18.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals on 53% shooting. That performance was enough to earn British Basketball League MVP honors as the Lions went on to win the BBL Cup Final — where he was also named Cup Final MVP.

The 2012 Wisconsin Mr. Basketball recipient is looking for another shot in the NBA with 76ers general manager Daryl Morey — the former Rockets GM who drafted Dekker in the first round of the 2015 NBA draft.

Dekker’s storied Wisconsin career included two Final Four appearances including one trip to the national championship game. He finished his three-year career with per-game averages of 27.9 minutes, 12.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.5 blocks on 52.5% shooting and 33% from three. His other collegiate accolades include two All-Big Ten Second Team nods (2014, 2015) and an inclusion on the All-Big Ten Freshman Team in 2013.

The 76ers are working to retool the roster around superstar Joel Embiid and rising star Tyrese Maxey after yet another early-round playoff exit. Dekker may find a role as a depth piece at small forward.

The former Badgers’ previous NBA stops were short-lived. But it’s possible that his game is greatly improved since moving overseas in 2019.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

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WATCH: Wisconsin legend Michael Finley steals beer from Luka Doncic in viral moment

WATCH: Wisconsin legend Michael Finley steals beer from Luka Doncic in viral moment

Wisconsin legend Michael Finley is the subject of a viral moment after the Dallas Mavericks’ 124-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night.

The win clinched the Mavericks’ trip to the NBA Finals. As one would expect, the postgame mood was celebratory.

Related: Ranking all Big Ten basketball arenas from worst to first

That includes star Luka Doncic, who the viral video shows standing outside the locker room with his father holding a beer — that until Finley walked by.

The Badger legend subtly took the beer out of Doncic’s hand before turning around and acting as if nothing happened. The reposted video on X now has more than six million views.

Finley, now Dallas’ Assistant General Manager, played 17 years in the NBA including nine with the Mavericks (1996-2005). His NBA accolades include an NBA title in 2007, two All-Star appearances and a spot on the All-Rookie First Team in 1996.

He played at Wisconsin from 1991-1995 and retired as the program’s all-time leading scorer — a mark that was later broken by Alando Tucker. Finley’s Badger career included two First-Team All-Big Ten nominations and his No. 24 jersey being retired by the program.

The former Badger is now rising the ranks in the NBA front office world. There is no backstory to his viral moment, but it occurred under pretty good circumstances for him, Doncic and the Mavericks.

Dallas will face the Boston Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals. Game 1 is scheduled for June 6 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

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