Fansided

Frank Kaminsky says emotional farewell to Wisconsin

By Connor Muldowney

Apr 6, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Frank Kaminsky (44) reacts after a basket against the Duke Blue Devils in the second half in the 2015 NCAA Men
Apr 6, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Frank Kaminsky (44) reacts after a basket against the Duke Blue Devils in the second half in the 2015 NCAA Men /
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Wisconsin big man Frank Kaminsky will likely be a top draft pick in June, but he’s not worried about that right now as he wrote an emotional farewell to Badger Nation.

It was quite the successful season for Wisconsin big man Frank Kaminsky as he won the national player of the year as well as leading the Badgers to the national title game. Kaminsky will go down as one of the best players in Wisconsin history despite never winning a title.

The Badgers ran away with the Big Ten title this season while making their second straight appearance in the Final Four. Kaminsky led the team in scoring and rebounds with 18.8 points and 8.2 boards per contest.

Wisconsin was lucky to have such a well-spoken role model lead the team and Bo Ryan will be sad to see him go as Kaminsky is a one-in-a-million type of athlete.

Kaminsky will likely be a top-20 pick in the upcoming NBA draft, but he’s not worried about the next level right now. He has put off a farewell to the Badgers’ coaches, teammates and fans for too long and he finally said his emotional goodbye on Friday via a blog post.

This is how he led off the heartfelt post:

"To be honest, I have been putting off writing this blog for a while now. Writing this blog means that my time at Wisconsin has come to an end, and I am now officially reflecting on the past. Thinking about what to write here is difficult because there is so much to say, but at the same time it makes me sad. First and foremost, I have never loved being a part of something as much as I loved being a student-athlete at the greatest university in the world. Thinking about the future is scary, but I know that I am now ready for it. However this is not a blog about my future. This is a blog to say thank you and goodbye to the best thing I have ever known."

Following that a ways, Kaminsky had this to say to his family, coaches, fans and teammates:

"To my family and friends…thank you for making an effort to come up to games, having my back on numerous occasions, putting up with my goofiness and treating me like just another guy.To my teammates…thank you so much for believing in me and being there for me through the highs and lows. You guys are my family now, and what we accomplished together can never be taken away from us.To the coaches…thank you for giving me the opportunity to grow as a person and a player under your watch. Without you I don’t know if I would be in this position today. Thank you for pushing me towards my dreams and helping me through the tough times.To the fans…thank you for being the best fans in the country. I dont think any fan base compares to ours. Your loyalty and constant (sometimes overwhelming) support makes our teams feel like there is nothing they cant do.And finally to the University of Wisconsin-Madison…thank you for having me. You have no idea how much you have changed my life. I could not think of a better place in the entire world. I was born and raised in Illinois, but I am proud to say that Wisconsin has turned me into the man I am today.To my family and friends…thank you for making an effort to come up to games, having my back on numerous occasions, putting up with my goofiness and treating me like just another guy.To my teammates…thank you so much for believing in me and being there for me through the highs and lows. You guys are my family now, and what we accomplished together can never be taken away from us.To the coaches…thank you for giving me the opportunity to grow as a person and a player under your watch. Without you I don’t know if I would be in this position today. Thank you for pushing me towards my dreams and helping me through the tough times.To the fans…thank you for being the best fans in the country. I dont think any fan base compares to ours. Your loyalty and constant (sometimes overwhelming) support makes our teams feel like there is nothing they cant do.And finally to the University of Wisconsin-Madison…thank you for having me. You have no idea how much you have changed my life. I could not think of a better place in the entire world. I was born and raised in Illinois, but I am proud to say that Wisconsin has turned me into the man I am today."

Those are some pretty strong words from one of the best players in the country. It’s evident he really loved everything about Wisconsin from the fans to his teammates to his coaches and he’s sad to leave the place he has called home for four years.

This kid is going to be very successful at the next level.

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