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Former Wisconsin center Frank Kaminsky has been selected to join the U.S. team roster for the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star Weekend. Frank the Tank’s current team, the Charlotte Hornets, and the NBA announced the roster selections via a press release and Twitter on Wednesday afternoon.
@FSKPart3 has been selected to participate in the #BBVARisingStars Challenge at @NBAAllStar! #RisingStarsFrank https://t.co/nTd2NzET6V pic.twitter.com/g84jKS1iOC
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) January 25, 2017
Selected for the U.S. Team in the #BBVARisingStars at #NBAAllStar.... @FSKPart3 of the @hornets! pic.twitter.com/VM92yVI4u9
— 2017 NBA All-Star (@NBAAllStar) January 25, 2017
The selection can be attributed to Kaminsky’s solid play in his second season in the NBA. The former Naismith College Player of the Year averages just over 24 minutes per contest and has seen a jump in points, rebounds, assists and steals per game for Charlotte this season. Perhaps more impressively, Kaminsky ranks highly in those categories among his fellow 2015 draftees. Per the Hornets’ press release:
Kaminsky is one of only three second-year players averaging more than 10 points, four rebounds and two assists per game while appearing in more than 20 contests (Jokic, Denver and Towns, Minnesota). The Wisconsin product has hit multiple three-point field goals in four consecutive games and has 15 such games on the year, ranking him fourth amongst first- and second-year forwards. Additionally, Kaminsky’s four games with 20+ points rank him eighth among first- and second-year players.
The BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge takes place on Feb. 17 at 9 p.m. CT, and pits first and second-year players from the United States against those from other countries. Full rosters and all other information on the game can be found here.