Jack Burns definitely wants to play basketball at Benet.
Christian Jablonski and Nate Lang aren’t sure yet.
But all three boys were thrilled to attend Frank Kaminsky’s Hoopmasters Camp at Benet this week. They literally look up to the former Benet star, a 7-foot forward/center for the Charlotte Hornets.
“It was nice of Frank that he was able to come back and do this camp for other kids,” the 11-year-old Burns said. “It was really cool because he’s an expert in the game and it was good to improve.”
Burns, who lives in Elmhurst, started following Kaminsky in high school.
“I got his autograph,” Burns said. “I remember going up to him and asking him for it.
“Then I also saw him at Wisconsin and got him to sign a Sports Illustrated cover. It’s cool that he’s so down to earth and not getting a big head now that he’s a pro.”
The three-day camp, which ended Saturday, was an opportunity for Burns to learn and practice on the court he hopes to play on one day.
“I do the baseball and basketball camps at Benet every year and I’ve been coming to Benet basketball and football games for as long as I can remember,” Burns said. “So I’ve grown up around Benet.”
Jablonski, a 10-year-old Naperville resident, never saw Kaminsky play in high school. Neither did Lang, 8, who attends St. Joan of Arc in Lisle, Kaminsky’s alma mater.
“It’s pretty cool,” said Jablonski, who plays the same positions as Kaminsky. “I know a lot about him and I wanted to do (the camp) because I thought it would be cool.”
Lang began playing basketball two years ago and has ties to Benet. His sister, Maia, was a lacrosse player at Benet who graduated in May.
“It was fun,” Lang said. “I’ve also seen him before at church.”
The campers, who ranged in ages from 8 to 15, were excited to learn new skills from Kaminsky and other camp coaches, including his former Redwings teammates Dave Sobolewski and Dylan Flood. But the emphasis wasn’t on creating future pro players.
“For a lot of kids it’s just about having fun,” Kaminsky said. “Not every kid here is going to play basketball for the rest of (his or her) life, so learn what you can from me, come here and have fun.”
While Hoopmasters is a marketing tool for Benet, it’s only a part of Kaminsky’s plans to give back to his community.
“There’s a lot of different things I want to do around this area, like Special Olympics and starting a youth basketball program,” Kaminsky said. “I grew up here. It’s where my family lives, so I just want to do whatever I can to better it.”
Kaminsky’s desire to work with the Special Olympics is personal. His step-sister Grace has Down syndrome.
“She’s 15, or ‘5-teen’ as she likes to say,” Kaminsky said. “She loves to do different things.
“I got her a pair of basketball shoes for Christmas and she loves them. Seeing those kids smile is really rewarding.”
Kaminsky’s basketball talent has rewarded him with a multimillion-dollar contract, but he credits Benet for maturing him.
“I think everyone was happy when I finally left Benet after the way I might have acted here for a couple years,” Kaminsky said. “I did get voted Teacher’s Pest my senior year. At least it wasn’t Class Clown.
“I learned a lot about myself as a person and what it took not only on a basketball court but in the classroom as well.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance writer for the Naperville Sun.
