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Charlotte Hornets: Expectations For Each Rookie In 2025-26

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Similar to other teams that had a top-five pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets had an incredibly successful draft. All four of the rookies that they selected even showcased their potential in the Las Vegas Summer League, a rite of passage for NBA novices. They did so well that they even won the franchise’s first Summer League Championship, with one taking home MVP.

As Charlotte transitions from their rebuild to a team focused on winnings, each of their picks looks like they legitimately have the skills and talent to make a positive impact. However, they have pretty noticeable areas of improvemen, too.

One Expectation For Each Charlotte Hornets Rookie In 2025-26

With the 2025-26 preseason right around the corner, it’s important to set expectations for each of the Hornets rookies.

Kon Knueppel

Expectation: Prove That He Won’t Be A Defensive Liability

Using the fourth overall pick, the Hornets selected Duke freshman Kon Knueppel. Standing at 6-foot-7, the point-forward performed admirably as a secondary creator and shooter behind eventual Cooper Flagg, who’ll now be wearing blue and white for the Dallas Mavericks. Considering the role he filled in Durham, he can also provide his new team with efficient three-level scoring and great playmaking.

Knueppel’s offensive upside was on full display at Summer League, particularly when he scored an efficient 19 points during a contest against the San Antonio Spurs.

He undoubtedly has the skill set and experience to be a wonderful offensive complement to franchise building blocks LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. However, he must prove that his defense won’t be a liability at the NBA level. To be sure, Knueppel is an intelligent player who has the basketball IQ and requisite effort to make up for some of his physical limitations. Nonetheless, the area that truly holds him back on the defensive end is his lack of athleticism.

Knueppel will likely never be an elite defender, but he must be at least solid defensively. If he can figure that out, he’ll become a mainstay in Charlotte.

Liam McNeeley

Expectation: He Also Proves That He Won’t Be A Defensive Liability

After obtaining the 29th overall pick, the Hornets drafted UConn freshman Liam McNeeley. Similar to Knueppel, McNeeley is a respected shooter and connective passer. To that point, despite shooting an unexpectedly underwhelming 31.1 percent from 3 in college, he shot a blistering 42.9 percent from deep in Summer League. On top of that, McNeeley is capable of attacking closeouts and can handle the ball to a certain extent.

A 6-foot-7 stretch-forward, McNeeley has the perfect size and skillset to provide floor spacing for Charlotte’s primary offensive stars. He can also feast as a cutter and off-ball mover next to Ball. Nevertheless, McNeeley does have a weakness that holds him back, and that is his defense. Like Knueppel, he isn’t the quickest or most athletic player, so he’ll face many of the same challenges.

Jul 12, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward/center Adem Bona (30) dunks the ball against Charlotte Hornets forward Liam McNeeley (33) in the second quarter of their game at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images

All in all, the 19-year-old needs to improve his defense to fully have a role on this Charlotte team. If he does, he’ll be a solid wing option for them in the years to come.

Sion James

Expectation: His Shooting Translates To The NBA

With the 33rd overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Hornets drafted another Duke prospect, this time fifth-year senior Sion James.

Standing at 6-foot-5, James is a strong-bodied guard who can defend multiple positions, play well off the ball, and make smart decisions. Due to his physical tools, he can even overpower smaller guards when attacking the rim. Like McNeeley, he didn’t play much at Summer League but he demonstrated his underrated abilities.

James possesses the hustle, basketball IQ, and overall skills to be a valuable role player for Charlotte. In the backcourt, he can serve as a utility piece who has the versatility defend at a high level and put the ball on the floor. He can even knock down threes, but the expectation for him is to translate his shooting to the NBA.

While he did shoot 38.1 percent and 41.3 percent from 3 in the past two seasons with Tulane and Duke, they were both on low volume. If James can do that in the NBA, he’ll be a pretty useful player for the Hornets. In fact, his skillset would be the perfect fit for playoff basketball.

Ryan Kalkbrenner

Expectation: Kalkbrenner Translates His Defense To The NBA

With the last pick at 34th overall, the Hornets chose Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner to man the middle for them. As the second upperclassman taken, Kalkbrenner is a seasoned big who can both defend and finish well in the paint. An x-factor for his offensive ceiling is his potential as a 3-point shooter after shooting 32.2 percent from deep in his final two college season.

The true seven-footer put his play-finishing and shot-blocking on full display at Summer League.

Looking forward, Kalkbrenner should have the necessary skills and experience to thrive next to a playmaker like Ball. Additionally, his rim-protecting will fill the void of Mark Williams (who was traded to the Phoenix Suns on draft night). However, he’ll need to improve his defense to match the NBA’s level of competition to be a truly valuable defensive presence for the Hornets. Specifically, Kalkbrenner must find a way not to have his lack of quickness exploited. He certainly has the length and basketball IQ to protect the basket, but quick guards can be his bane.

© Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

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