National Basketball Association

Frank Kaminsky's Development is on Full Display This Preseason

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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After missing summer league this year, Frank Kaminsky‘s development is on full display during the preseason as he continues to impress with his play.

After many criticized Frank Kaminsky’s rookie season with the Charlotte Hornets last year, he is now showing his development in the preseason. The big man had a slightly above average rookie season but he was looking to make big improvements this summer. Those plans may have been cut short when he was forced to undergo surgery that kept him out of summer league play.

The Orlando Pro Summer League is a great chance for young players such as Kaminsky to get playing time, develop their games, and improve their skills. Frank underwent surgery to repair a small pocket of air in his chest wall. It was scary situation but the surgery only kept him out for approximately six weeks.

After making a full recovery, “The Tank” worked tirelessly to not only return to form but also get better. Although he had shortened summer to train, you couldn’t tell from the production that he has had during the team’s first four preseason games. These are only exhibition games but this is the only offseason practice that Kaminsky has gotten before the 2016-17 regulars season as he missed the summer league which is crucial for developing young talent.

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Even after miss the summer league and having to recovery from offseason surgery, the 2015 first round pick has shown his development this preseason. His production is a result of the time that he put in to become a better all-around player. Kaminsky’s breakout began during the playoffs last year after he had a full 82 game regular season behind him. Now entering year two, he will be looking to make another leap in his game.

Frank Kaminsky is averaging 12.5 points per game, 7.2 rebounds per game, and 1.5 assists per game during the preseason so far. He is also shooting 38% from the field in 26.2 minutes per game. Those numbers may seem pedestrian by regular season standards or compared to star players but he has easily been the best player on the Hornets’ team. While most of the other players have been inconsistent, Frank is the only player on Charlotte’s roster to score over 10 points in each exhibition game.

He has been the leading scorer in two of the four matches for the team and the third leading scorer in the other two games. “The Tank” has also recorded one double-double in only four preseason games which matches the total that he has all of last season.

After only averaging 7.5 PPG and 4.1 RPG in 21.1 MPG in his rookie season last year, this preseason has been a leap for Kaminsky. While having flashes of brilliance in 2015, last season was a bit of a let down for the ninth overall pick. There were high expectations on Frank. Probably too high but nevertheless, fans were expecting more.

Everything in the preseason should be taken with a grain of salt as it is not the best predictor for the regular season. With that being said, the improvement and growth in Frank Kaminsky’s game is encouraging. It may not seem like a lot but the development forward is better than him regressing and taking a step back. Hopefully he can continue his consistently great play into the regular season as he will likely have a major role in Steve Clifford’s system.

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