NBA Draft first-round picks find themselves on teams they once insulted

There appears to be an easy way for prospective NBA Draft picks to determine which team will select them. Simply rip a certain NBA squad in college and — voila! — that team will eventually become that player’s future employer.

First-round picks Frank Kaminsky, Bobby Portis and Larry Nance Jr. each found themselves in the awkward position Thursday of being drafted by teams they’d previously disparaged on Twitter and, in Kaminsky’s case, a blog.

In explaining his decision to return to college for his senior season last year, Kaminsky — who was drafted with the ninth overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets (formerly the Bobcats) — wrote in his blog that it was more exciting to play in front of Wisconsin fans than, say, the ones in Charlotte.

“I am at the pinnacle of my basketball career, at least in my eyes,” Kaminsky wrote. “I know the NBA has their crazy fans and all, but … there are games when teams like the Bobcats get hardly any fans, and it looks flat-out boring.

“At the Kohl Center, we play in front of nearly 17,000 fans every single time we step onto the court. When we travel, we play in front of sellout crowds who absolutely hate us.”

According to ESPN.com, Kaminsky’s road roommate, Badgers forward Duje Dukan, joked at the time, “Well, now you’re not going to get drafted by the Bobcats.”

Portis, drafted with the No. 22 pick by the Bulls, took shots at Chicago’s Pau Gasol and Derrick Rose on Twitter in 2011, posting “Pau Gasol not as good as everybody think/say!” and “(Bleep) D Rose and tha bulls!! #teamHeat over here.”

Portis wisely took to Twitter early Friday to try to make amends.

“Bulls Nation sorry for the tweets I sent 4 years ago,” he posted. “I was a boy then. I’m a man now. And a Bull. DRose, Pau, what kinda donuts yall like?”

Strong rebound by the power forward from Arkansas.

Nance, the Los Angeles Lakers’ No. 27 overall pick out of Wyoming, posted a brutal joke about Kobe Bryant on Twitter in 2012.

“Gee I sure hope Kobe can keep his hands to himself in Denver this time.. #rapist,” Nance wrote in a tweet that was deleted Thursday night.

We’re guessing it’s going to take a lot more than a dozen glazed from Krispy Kreme for Nance to get in Bryant’s good graces.