Wisconsin basketball legend Frank Kaminsky made his USA Basketball debut with the 2024 USA Men’s AmeriCup Qualifying Team on Friday night.
As a member of the starting lineup alongside David Stockton, Robert Covington, Paul Watson and Javonte Smart, Kaminsky registered 10 points, three assists and two steals in just over 15 minutes in his first taste of FIBA action.
Kaminsky was named to November’s installation of the 2024 squad, which boasts a combination of NBA, NBA G League and international talent. Kaminsky’s crew is one of three teams representing USA Basketball from Feb. 2024 to Feb. 25 will hopes of qualifying for the AmeriCup tournament in 2025.
First five on the floor in D.C. 👇
🇺🇸 David Stockton
🇺🇸 @JavonteSmart
🇺🇸 @Holla_At_Rob33
🇺🇸 @_PWJiii
🇺🇸 @FSKPart3📺 https://t.co/IDSaMTwtKB pic.twitter.com/TRBp0BnlL2
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) November 23, 2024
After averaging 8.9 points and 3.4 rebounds with Serbia’s Partizan Belgrade in the 2023-24 EuroLeague season, Kaminsky joined the Phoenix Suns training camp roster in late September. The Suns, however, elected to waive Kaminsky on Oct. 12 ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season.
Prior to that decision, the former UW star appeared in 26 games for the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets in 2022-23, logged three seasons with the Suns from 2019-22 and played four seasons with the Charlotte Hornets from 2015-19. In eight NBA seasons, Kaminsky has averaged 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 43% shooting and 35% from three.
The 7-footer was arguably college basketball’s most dominant player during his stint at UW. As a senior, he pocketed the 2015 National College Player of the Year award and was named consensus first-team All-American with the Badgers.
In the postseason, he was the go-to option on consecutive trips to the Final Four in 2014 and 2015.
Kaminsky’s next game for the red, white and blue is slated for Nov. 25 against the Bahamas in Washington, D.C.