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NBA DRAFTJune 25, 2015Frank KaminskyBROOKLYN, NEW YORK FRANK KAMINSKY: Man, this is so hard to put into words. This is unreal. Think about my journey, what it's taken to get here, put in so much hard work. But very grateful to Charlotte for the opportunity. I'm looking forward to putting in more hard work and doing whatever I can to help the team. Q. There was kind of talk before the Draft today that Michael Jordan really coveted you with that ninth pick. How does it feel that one of the greatest basketball players of all time, if not the greatest, really wanted you for his organization? FRANK KAMINSKY: Growing up and from Chicago, Michael Jordan is everything there. He still is. I had all of his posters on my wall, Space Jam was my favorite movie. It's just crazy to me that he thought highly enough of me to pick me with the ninth pick in the Draft, and I'm just so grateful for him and for the opportunity. Q. What do you know about the Charlotte Hornets as a team? And has it sunk in yet you have an endless supply of Brand Jordan? FRANK KAMINSKY: I'm becoming a sneakerhead recently, so that's obviously a great thing. I know the team has got some good young guard play. They're a team on the rise. Obviously from my class, I remember Michael Kidd‑Gilchrist. He's a good player. I'm just looking forward to getting with the team and what they think of me and how I can fit in and what my role will be. Q. Your dad said you were nervous today, maybe as nervous as he's ever seen you, even before a game. Take me through your emotions throughout the day, waiting. FRANK KAMINSKY: First of all, I couldn't fall asleep last night. I was talking all day, I just wanted to figure out where I'm going. I wish they would have woke me up in the morning and told me, so I didn't have to go through the whole day of wondering and listening to my agent and what he was saying. So just when my name was finally called and I heard that I was going to be drafted, my heart started beating real fast. It's just unreal. Is it really is hard to put into words. I'm kind of just spitballing here, but it's a dream come true, it really is. Q. Is there any player in the NBA that you look forward to playing against? FRANK KAMINSKY: Too many to count.  I've had four years in college to watch the NBA closely and watch a lot of players. People that jump off: Kevin Durant, LeBron, Kobe, all the guys that I grew up watching. It's just going to be amazing to get the chance to play against them, and I'm really looking forward to it. Q. I hear Michael Jordan likes to still be very competitive. Was part of the workout going one‑on‑one with him? I hear he still thinks he can go one‑on‑one with current players. FRANK KAMINSKY: No, I actually didn't get a chance to go down and visit with Charlotte. Just part of the process. You know how that goes. Q. Do you think he'll challenge you now that you're an employee? FRANK KAMINSKY: Yeah, maybe. We'll see when we get down there. Q. You didn't work out for the Hornets. Were you surprised that they took you? FRANK KAMINSKY: No, we knew it was on the radar. Like I said, it's just part of the process and scheduling and match‑ups and workouts. It just didn't work out to where I went down to Charlotte and worked out, but they were definitely on the radar and definitely a team I was interested in. Q. Cody Zeller is obviously down in Charlotte. You're two pretty similar players; both from the Big Ten. How do you feel you can work together in the front court? FRANK KAMINSKY: I had an opportunity to play against him for two years, so I know about him and I know where he started and where he is now. Just looking forward to playing with him. He's obviously a good player. Like I said, I'm just so excited to get down there and find out what my role will be and try to make the most of it. Q. We talked yesterday and I asked you about, I guess, the biggest criticism that people had about you. Now that the draft process is over, if I can ask, what was the best advice that anybody gave you going into this process that made you feel at ease coming in here tonight? FRANK KAMINSKY: From a lot of the different teams. When you go and work out for teams, there's some teams that know they're not going to take you; they just have you in there for workouts. You get to have good conversations with people and they're going to tell you the truth. They told me not to listen, that I'm going to be fine in this league. I'm going to have an opportunity to go out there and showcase what I can do, and that's really how it's been for me throughout my career at Wisconsin, I didn't listen to the critics or anything like that. I just went out and did my thing. It worked out really well for me. So I'm looking forward to doing that at this level. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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