CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Wednesday night the Charlotte Hornets are slated to pick No. 4 in the first round of the NBA Draft.
After a 19-63 season and missing the playoffs for the ninth-straight year (the longest drought in the NBA) Charlotte needs to hit on their lottery choice.
The top prospects in this year’s draft are mostly products of major colleges, unlike last year’s draft which saw 6 of the top 12 picks hail from France, including the Hornets pick of Tidjane Salaun.
Of course, Cooper Flagg leads the way. The Duke Blue Devil is a near guarantee to be picked No. 1overall by Dallas.
After that Dylan Harper is expected to go No. 2, although a team could swap with San Antonio for the rights to select the Rutgers guard.
The first big pivot point in the draft comes at No. 3, where the 76ers choice will immediately impact what the Hornets do next.
We talked to several NBA/college basketball experts to break down several of the leading contenders to be picked by Charlotte.
TRADE UP CANDIDATE
DYLAN HARPER, GUARD, RUTGERS
The son of five-time NBA champion, Ron Harper, the dynamic and lengthy guard understands what it means to be a professional. In one season of college basketball, he averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He was set Rutgers freshman scoring record with 564 points.
Paul Biancardi/ESPN: “He’s the best overall basketball player after Cooper Flagg. I called him bigger, stronger Jalen Brunson. This guy was born to be an NBA player.”
Terrence Oglesby/FanDuel Sports Network: “Terrific piece. Big guard with size. In my mind both of those guys (Flagg and Harper) are All-Stars.”
IN PLAY AT NO. 4
VJ EDGECOMBE, GUARD, BAYLOR
The Bahamas native would immediately bring a much-needed defensive intensity to the Charlotte Hornets. Offensively, the uber-athletic Edgecombe could use some polish, but averaged 15 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals for the Bears en route to being named Big 12 Freshman of the Year. He was also the New York Gatorade Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American while at Long Island Lutheran in New York.
Paul Biancardi/ESPN: “The next most talented player on the board (after Flagg, Bailey and Harper) is VJ Edgecombe. He comes in as the best athlete, vertically. Great finisher in transition. Can be an excellent on-ball defender. He’s a worker, high-character guy. Does everything in a mature, professional way. I think the numbers from a shooting perspective would go up.”
Terrence Oglesby/FanDuel Sports Network: “One of the best direct-line athletes the NBA will have next year. He’s an elite defender. He does some things on the defensive end of the floor that normal humans have no business doing. He could be a dunk contest guy next year.”
ACE BAILEY, FORWARD, RUTGERS
One of the most polarizing prospects at the top of this draft, many wonder about Bailey’s ability to put all of his immense attributes together quickly at the NBA level. But his potential is obvious after averaging 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steals per game in one season at Rutgers, being named Big Ten All-Freshman and Third-Team All-Big Ten honors.
Paul Biancardi/ESPN: “As talented as anybody in this draft. Maybe more talented in terms of pure upside than Cooper Flagg. He doesn’t have the intangibles just yet. He’s a shotmaker a great athlete and he can score from anywhere on the floor. He has to pick up on some of the intangibles. I wouldn’t say he’s an everyday player just yet. He is uber talented. He’s a star waiting to happen.”
Terrence Oglesby/FanDuel Sports Network: “He is going to be a really good player if everything clicks and he falls into a great situation. At worst he’s going to be a really good jump shooter. His best basketball is five years away. He was listed at 6-10, and measured at 6-7 at the combine, red flag number one. But looking past that you’re looking at a guy that could lead the league in scoring.”
KON KNUEPPEL, GUARD-FORWARD, DUKE
Knueppel will bring any team immediate help with outside shooting after hitting 41 percent from three-point range in his one season with the Blue Devils, playing effective sidekick to Cooper Flagg en route to the Final Four. Knueppel should develop into a leader pretty quickly if he’s drafted to a younger team like the Hornets and he is a highly-intelligent basketball player.
Paul Biancardi/ESPN: “In my mind, the best pure shooter in the draft. He’s a floor spacer, great catch-and-shoot guy, very good passer. Those are his elite skills, shooting and passing. He’s somebody that brings functionality to the offense. Probably has one of the highest IQ’s in this draft.”
Terrence Oglesby/FanDuel Sports Network: “It goes back to are you going to pick for ceiling or pick for four? That floor is pretty high. He’s not a great athlete, he’s not going to dunk on you. He can spotlight at the point for you. He’s a terrific reader of the game. I think Kon Knueppel is going to be play in the NBA for a long time. Knockdown shooter right away, and a guy who makes good decisions and is competitive and professional.”
TRE JOHNSON, GUARD, TEXAS
Pure scoring talent, Johnson broke Kevin Durant’s Longhorns record for points in a single game by a freshman with 39 against Arkansas. In 33 games, Johnson averaged 19.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.78 assists and 0.8 steals per game, shooting 40% from three-point range.
Paul Biancardi/ESPN: “He’s the best pure scorer in the draft. I think Tre Johnson can come in and get a bucket. He’s one of those guys that plays with great offensive confidence. You don’t have to run a play for him and he can still score. He is a great shot creator and is not afraid to do it.”
Terrence Oglesby/FanDuel Sports Network: “I’m going to say it. Same measurements as Kobe. I’m not calling him Kobe. However, Tre Johnson can really score the basketball. He’s intentional about getting to his spots. He’s the best in the midrange. 19.9 points per game, shot right at 40%. The reason I say Kobe is because Kobe was so intentional about the spots he was going to get to on the floor every time down. Tre is much like that. You are going to have to live with bumps in the road as far as shot selection. The flip side of that is he’s smart, high-character individual. He’s professional in how he goes about his business. I think he could end up leading the league in scoring. I think he’s that good. It’s just a matter of time and a matter of patience.”
JEREMIAH FEARS, GUARD, OKLAHOMA
Fears garnered SEC All-Freshman Team honors in one season for the Sooners but was an inconsistent shooter. While he averaged 17 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 1.6 steals at Oklahoma in his lone college season, he would be a bit redundant on the floor with LaMelo Ball.
Walker Mehl/Locked On Hornets: “Jeremiah Fears is a high-usage guy who can’t shoot very well. I don’t see LaMelo and Jeremiah Fears coexisting alongside each other.”
TRADE BACK SCENARIOS
KASPARAS JAKUCIONIS, GUARD, ILLINOIS
This long, playmaking point guard would be an interesting choice with LaMelo Ball still on the roster, but for Illinois, the Lithuanian was All-Big Ten, averaging 15 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.
Walker Mehl/Locked On Hornets: “I think (LaMelo) can share the backcourt with another basketball player that can take on that role of primary ballhandler. When LaMelo is off the floor this offense is in shambles. It would be nice to not have to rely on LaMelo’s ankles to hold up.
KHAMAN MALUACH, CENTER, DUKE
When Maluach was on for Duke, he was a force at both ends of the floor, earning ACC All-Freshman Team honors along with Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel. He averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. His strength is definitely on the defensive side of the ball, and rim protection.
CARTER BRYANT, FORWARD, ARIZONA
A McDonald’s All-American and consensus five-star recruit, Bryant played just 19.3 minutes per game, averaging 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.0 blocks and 0.9 steals per game. He has good upside as a 3-and-D player.
NOA ESSENGUE, FORWARD, FRANCE
Could Charlotte go to a French teenager in back-to-back drafts? Like Tidjane Salaun, Essengue is physically impressive, but needs to add some polish to his game and work to complete himself as a solid NBA player.
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