Arkansas' Bobby Portis wasn't the only NBA player caught in an awkward spot after being drafted Thursday night thanks to something he wrote previously online.
Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the ninth overall pick. Kaminsky grew up in the Chicago area idolizing Michael Jordan, so being draft by Jordan's team has to be a dream come true, right?
Sort of.
Kaminsky had a little explaining to do first to the team's fans. It seems Kaminsky wrote on his personal blog in April 2014 that college basketball is better in the NBA because of the crowds, pointing out how few attended games in Charlotte, back when the team was still known as the Bobcats.
"I am at the pinnacle of my basketball career, at least in my eyes," Kaminsky wrote in a blog entry detailing his reasons for staying for at Wisconsin. "I know the NBA has their crazy fans and all, but if you look at all of their games there are games when teams like the Bobcats get hardly any fans, and it looks flat-out boring."
SBNation.com noted that the comments have since been edited, but Kaminsky was still asked about it after he was drafted Thursday.
"That was a different me," Kaminsky told reporters. "In hindsight you would like to take some things back. I wasn't taking shots at anyone."
It's not like the comment will affect his standing with the team. Reports following the pick indicated Jordan's interest in Kaminsky, who was last year's Naismith and Wooden Award winner. ESPN.com reported that the Hornets turned down the Boston Celtics' trade offer of six draft picks for Kaminsky.
At least Kaminsky tried to get off on the right foot with a tweet Friday.
"Had a great first day in Charlotte!" he posted. "Can't wait to get back here to get to work! #BuzzCity"
Tables turned
Here's a twist: An umpire charged the mound Thursday in Chicago.
It all started when Chicago Cubs pitcher Jon Lester walked a batter in the fourth inning of the Cubs' 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Video of the game shows Lester barking something after the player walked, then home plate umpire Andy Fletcher storming toward the mound.
Catcher David Ross had to get in front of Fletcher beforethe ump reached the mound, then Cubs Manager Joe Maddon got into it with Fletcher at home plate with both pointing at the other.
Lester said he never did figure out what made Fletcher so upset. No ejections were made.
"I didn't say anything directed at him," Lester told the Chicago Tribune. "I don't know why [Fletcher] was so upset. I had my head down when I was yelling. He went AWOL. I don't know what was going on. It had nothing to do with umpire's strike zone.
Good talk
Former UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel went on a Sirius XM radio show earlier this week to reflect on Justin Combs, his former player whose famous father was arrested earlier this week after a run-in with the coach.
As a refresher: Combs' father, hip hop mogul P. Diddy, was arrested this week for assault with a deadly weapon. Reports have indicated a kettlebell was involved during an argument with UCLA's strength and conditioning coach.
Neuheisel, who was 21-29 as UCLA's coach in 2008-2011, recruited Combs to play for the Bruins. He recalled the process this week and that P. Diddy hadn't done a lot of research before the visit.
"As a matter of fact, like a half-hour into it, he asked me who I was," Neuheisel said. "And he said, 'Tell me what you do, Rick?'
"I said, 'Well, I'm the head football coach here.' 'Really?' and I said 'Yeah.' "
Sports quiz
Q. Kentucky's Karl-Anthony Towns was the No. 1 overall pick in Thursday's NBA Draft. How many No. 1 overall picks have come from Kentucky?
A. Three. Towns, Anthony Davis (2012) and John Wall (2010).
Sports on 06/27/2015