Most NBA Draft analysts loved what Charlotte did during the selection process this offseason.
Mitch Kupchak said he fielded more calls for the 11th overall pick than he had in any other draft, but ultimately decided to take James Bouknight out of UCONN.
Every draft has the guy that falls far enough to force your call to Kevin Costner and ask why he’s dropping, but given the buzz surrounding Bouknight, I really was surprised to see him available.
He was one of the best athletes in the draft and showed great skill at getting to the rim and finishing at a high level.
The shot was scary from deep only shooting 29 percent, but scouts raved about his shooting in workouts, yeah, even if he shot against zero defenders.
He showed nice promise in Summer League too. He scored 17 points per game on decent shooting, and even facilitated at a higher level than anticipated.
Bouknight looked comfortable on the court and plays with a sense of purpose. That was also on display in Charlotte’s first preseason game when he went for 20 points in 20 minutes.
Terry Rozier took notice and discussed the rookie’s performance….
It was one of the last selections I would have been happy with. I liked a couple of other guys available more so, but the talent and upside is here as much as almost anybody in the draft.
And I have to say, he’s really impressed in his very limited time with the Hornets so far.
Given the departures of Malik Monk and Devonte Graham, I thought Bouknight might be relied on to score with the 2nd unit, especially among backcourt players.
It’s hard to ask rookies to contribute to winning basketball right away, and the Hornets made it clear it’s playoffs or bust for the organization.
I couldn’t figure out what to expect from Bouknight this season or when he’d be asked to contribute. After his recent play, it could be sooner rather than later.
