Tag: Badgers in NBA

Former Badgers big man signs with Euroleague team

Frank Kaminsky is heading to Europe

Former Badgers big man Frank Kaminsky announced Thursday that he has signed with KK Partizan, a European professional basketball team based in Belgrade, Serbia.

Kaminsky will head overseas after spending eight seasons in the NBA with the Hornets, Suns, Rockets and Hawks. The 7-footer was selected ninth overall in the 2015 NBA Draft after four seasons with the Badgers.

Amongst the many highlights over his time in Madison, Kaminsky led the Badgers to back-to-back Final Four appearances (2014-2015) and a National Title game in 2015.

In 2015, he also won the AP National Player of the Year Award and the Naismith Player of the Year Award amongst other things.

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How To Watch: Two Badgers in Summer League

The 2023 NBA Summer League is underway and two former Badger men’s basketball players are suiting up for their respective teams.

The 2023 NBA Summer League is underway and two former Badger men’s basketball players are suiting up for their respective teams. Hosted in Las Vegas, both second-year guard Johnny Davis (Wizards) and third-year forward Micah Potter (Jazz) are in action.

Davis was selected 10th overall by Washington in the 2022 NBA Draft and he is set for an expanded role in the team’s offense in year two after the departures of Bradley Beal (PHX) and Kristaps Porzingis (BOS).

Potter went undrafted in 2021 and he’ll be entering his second year with Utah’s organization, looking to carve out a larger role for himself in 2023.

 

WATCH: Look back at rookie season of Johnny Davis

Johnny Davis just wrapped up his rookie season with the Washington Wizards, averaging 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.

Johnny Davis just wrapped up his rookie season with the Washington Wizards, averaging 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game. Those numbers don’t really speak to how he finished the season though.

Over the last eight games of the season, Davis averaged an impressive 14.6 points per game while compiling 5.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.8 blocks over 32.6 minutes per contest.

With the rookie having to navigate the birth of his first child and the start of his professional career, it did take him a little while to click in the league, let alone the fact that he had a lower-body injury early in the campaign.

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Moving forward, Davis should see an expanded role in 2023-2024 and with a roster that also includes Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma, Washington will look to make the playoffs next season.

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Former Wisconsin Badgers forward Aleem Ford signs with an NBA team

Add former Wisconsin forward Aleem Ford to the growing list of Badgers on NBA rosters for the upcoming season:

According to a report from Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel, former Wisconsin Badgers forward Aleem Ford has reached an agreement to join the Orlando Magic before the start of training camp.

Last season, the 6-foot-8 forward appeared in 33 games for the Lakeland Magic, Orlando’s G-League team, averaging 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 38% shooting from beyond the arc.

In December of 2021, Ford signed a 10-day contract with the Orlando Magic and appeared in five games, averaging 2.8 points and three rebounds, before returning to their G-League affiliate to finish the season.

In all likelihood, Ford will be a camp body with organizational familiarity.

Orlando will begin camp with 20 players, which will need to be trimmed to 15 before the start of the regular season.

The former Wisconsin Badger appeared in 126 career games (82 starts) in his four seasons with the UW program.

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Wisconsin Badgers 2022 NBA Summer League Recap

Five former Badgers showcased their talents in the NBA summer league; let’s see how they fared:

The University of Wisconsin has only two players signed to guaranteed NBA contracts entering the 2022 season, Frank Kaminsky and lottery pick Johnny Davis, who was the first player selected during the Greg Gard era.

However, this summer, former Badgers Vitto Brown, Nate Reuvers, Micah Potter, and Aleem Ford also had a chance to showcase their talents in front of NBA scouting personnel in Las Vegas.

Summer league offers a little something for everyone who partakes. For rookies, it’s their first chance to get a taste of the next level. For other young players, it’s an opportunity to show their growth from one year to the next. For journeymen that have scratched and clawed their way to be in Las Vegas, it’s a last-ditch effort to make the leap from overseas to the association.

With summer league wrapping up last week, BadgersWire examines how all five former Wisconsin Badgers standouts played in Las Vegas:

Atlanta Hawks officially announce the signing of former Badgers C Frank Kaminsky

Atlanta Hawks formally announce the signing of a former Badgers legend:

On Tuesday, the Atlanta Hawks officially announced the signing of former Badgers National Player of the Year Frank Kaminsky on their Twitter account.

Over seven seasons, Kaminsky has appeared in 377 NBA games for the Charlotte Hornets and Phoenix Suns.

In 2021, the 7-foot, 240-pound center averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in just over 20 minutes per game before suffering a stress reaction in his right knee that would require surgery. He’s now fully healed and will be ready to play once camp begins.

Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported his one-year deal would be fully guaranteed and worth the veterans minimum.

Kaminsky, who is 29 years of age, joins rookie Johnny Davis as the only Badgers currently signed to an NBA roster for the 2022 season.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Dillon Graff on Twitter @DillonGraff.

Frank Kaminsky inks one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks

Former Badgers big man Frank Kaminsky is back in the NBA:

According to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, former Badgers big man Frank Kaminsky has agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks after spending his last three seasons in Phoenix.

Chris Kirschner of The Athletic also reported his one-year deal would be worth the veterans minimum.

Last season, the 7-foot, 240-pound center averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in just over 20 minutes per game before suffering a stress reaction in his right knee that would require surgery.

Wojnarowski also mentions that the former Wooden Award recipient has fully recovered from his right knee surgery and will be available once camp begins. He’ll join an Atlanta Hawks frontcourt that includes John Collins, Clint Capela, and Onyeka Okongwu.

A native of Lisle, Illinois, Kaminsky finished his senior season at UW, averaging 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.5 blocks on 41% shooting from beyond the arc.

Kaminsky, who is 29 years of age, joins rookie Johnny Davis as the only Badgers currently on an NBA roster.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Dillon Graff on Twitter @DillonGraff.

Twitter reacts to Johnny Davis being drafted No. 10 overall by the Wizards

Some of the best Twitter reactions to Johnny Davis being drafted with the No. 10 pick by the Washington Wizards:

On Thursday night, former Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis was selected in the lottery of the first round of the 2022 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards with the No. 10 pick.

Related: Washington Wizards select Badgers G Johnny Davis in first round of the NBA Draft

Davis was one of the best players in the country last season and helped the Badgers to a shared Big Ten regular season title and NCAA Tournament appearance. In addition, Davis was named a first-team AP All-American and averaged 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals in his sophomore season.

The former Wisconsin star was the first Badger selected as a lottery pick since the Charlotte Hornets drafted Wisconsin legend Frank Kaminsky with the No. 9 overall pick in 2015.

Here are some of the best Twitter reactions to Johnny Davis joining the Washington Wizards:

WATCH: Johnny Davis’ road to draft day

Badgers guard Johnny Davis recaps his road to the 2022 NBA Draft:

On the eve of the 2022 NBA Draft, Badgers sophomore guard Johnny Davis is expected to be the first player from the University of Wisconsin selected since 2015.

Davis, who was the Big Ten Player of the Year, Lute Olson National Player of the Year, and a consensus first-team All-American averaged 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals in 31 games for the Badgers last season.

The former La Crosse Central standout was also just the fourth Wisconsin player to average at least 19 points per game over the last 30 seasons.

You can watch the full video of Davis reflecting on his path to the 2022 NBA Draft below:

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Former Badgers F attends Utah Jazz free agent minicamp

A former Badgers forward earns a free agent mini-camp invite with the Utah Jazz:

The Utah Jazz held a two-day, 20-player free agent mini-camp earlier this week, a workout that included plenty of familiar faces.

Among the players in attendance was former Badgers forward Vitto Brown, according to Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune.

After graduating from Wisconsin back in 2017, the Ohio native has played in the NBA G League for the Wisconsin Herd, Agua Caliente Clippers, Maine Red Claws, Rethymno Cretan Kings, and the Erie BayHawks.

More recently, Brown has played professionally overseas for Le Mans in France, and Coosur Real Betis in Spain. 

This past season, the former Badgers standout averaged 11.0 points and 4.3 rebounds on 38.1% shooting from beyond the arc for Coosur Real Betis.

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