BigSlam wrote:
2021
1 11 James Bouknight
1 19 Kai Jones
2 37 JT Thor
2 56 Scottie Lewis
This was the most enjoyable draft experience that I've had since the second incarnation of the team. Everything was positive for me.
Predraft, I loved Plumlee trade, because I thought there would be some very good talent available early in the second round. And I applauded the aggressiveness of using our cap space creatively. It was exciting in a sportsgeek way, because suddenly there were players to consider drafting that I hadn't considered much because we didn't have a pick in that range.
Then when 11 rolled around, we had a shot at both guys I had decided I liked the most (Kai Jones and Moses Moody), plus several other players I thought had enough positives to take at 11, and then an unexpected faller in Bouknight. Too often, the guy I want most gets taken a spot or two before we pick. This time, we had a buffet of good choices to choose from and a GM I trusted to not screw it up.
When it was Bouknight, despite my affection for Jones or Moody, that seemed like the right move from a BPA standpoint.
I had to turn my attention elsewhere for a bit, and when I went back to focusing on the draft, I saw our name beside Kai Jones on a draft tracker and I thought for a second I was on the wrong web page and was looking at a mock. Then I was ecstatic! We'd gotten him without reaching, which was the only reason I was iffy on him at 11. When I saw how protected the pick was, I was even happier. And again, such aggressiveness by Mitch!
When we got Thor, I was again pleased based on his potential. He was one of the few players I'd researched in that range because we'd worked him out and because... as a huge comics fan, I'll admit to thinking it will be great fun to have a player named Thor.
Then Scottie Lewis sounded fine to me because of his defense. Getting somebody with an extremely strong attribute of any sort at that point in the draft is a win.
Overall, I was left excited about all the upside. I realize the nbadraft.net player profile ratings are not all that accurate, but there's something about the convenience of the site that causes me to look there a lot. We had drafted 3 guys with the highest "Potential" score of 9. We almost never get guys like that. Even Lewis has an 8. Plus both Jones and Bouknight should pair well with LaMelo.
This draft left me super-happy and on Hornets overload, not going to bed until very late even though I had to be at work early the next day. We have so many young players with upside to develop and a team that is extremely fun to watch. A great coach. And a smart GM.
After listening to the press conference, I could not be more pleased to have Kai Jones on the team.
BigSlam wrote:2020
1 3 LaMelo Ball
2 32 Vernon Carey Jr
2 42 Nick Richards
2 56 Grant Riller
Predraft, I had wanted Wiseman badly but didn't see how he could fall to 3. Watching LaMelo hightlights, I absolutely loved his elite passing but was worried about the shooting. Like a lot of us, MKG had me snakebit about players with odd shooting mechanics.
When the selection was made, I wasn't disappointed with the decision, as he was the only choice to make there at 3. But I was really worried he wouldn't work out.
I thought Vern was a fantastic pickup at 32. Various sources online were high on Riller. And Richards looked to be good defensively inside. So the second round seemed solid, particularly since Mitch had build up some cred with me in that regard.
Overall, the actual draft night itself was pleasant, but I had lots of doubts.
I came around on Ball fast though, and then once the season got going, I was converted into a full fledged Melo disciple. My excitement level has raised up to more than it has been since the golden age of Hornets basketball with LJ, Zo, Muggsy, and Dell.
BigSlam wrote:
2019
1 12 PJ Washington
2 36 Cody Martin
I didn't have time to pay all that much attention to the draft beforehand that year. Washington seemed good, but i didn't have a strong opinion. I was puzzled at the Cody selection. I had been intrigued with Bol Bol, and was hopeful as he kept dropping.
You left out Jalen McDaniels. The night of the draft, I was concerned with that pick because of some off-the-court stuff I read about.
BigSlam wrote:
2018
1 12 Miles Bridges
2 34 Devonte’ Graham
2 55 Arnoldas Kulboka
That year, I had thought Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would be really fun to watch, so I was disappointed with the trade, but I wasn't extremely down on it, as I was fine with Bridges. Then Graham seemed like a good pick.
Since I now adore Bridges, I don't care at all about not having SGA.
BigSlam wrote:
2017
1 11 Malik Monk
2 40 Dwayne Bacon
I was really happy that year, because it seemed like Monk falling to us was a huge stroke of luck.
This one is painful to look back on, because we probably would have picked Donovan Mitchell if not for Monk being there.
BigSlam wrote:
2016
1 22 Malachi Richardson
This draft ticked me off bigtime. I hated the idea of trading the pick. Bellinelli? And to make matters worse, I liked Brice Johnson a lot at UNC, and we could have had him there.
Boo!
BigSlam wrote:
2015
1 9 Frank Kaminsky
I had seen Frank in mocks for us and hoped we would be smarter than that. This pick was obviously terrible. Looking back, you wince when you see we missed on Booker and Turner, but it was Winslow I thought we should have gone with at the time from who was on the board. (Mario Hezonja was who I had hoped would fall to us)
This one left a very bad taste in your mouth.
BigSlam wrote:
2014
1 9 Noah Vonleh
1 26 PJ Hariston
I was very pleased to get Vonleh at the time. Hated the Hairston pick.
BigSlam wrote:
2013
1 4 Cody Zeller
Disappointing draft because I had very much wanted Anthony Bennett, seeing him as a Larry Johnson reincarnation. But I wasn't upset with the choice we made with him off the board.
I guess Bennett would be the most wrong I've ever been about a player.
BigSlam wrote:
2012
1 2 Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
2 31 Jeffery Taylor
This draft is most memorable for me for lottery night. It got down to where we'd either have the number one pick and a can't miss superstar big-man who actually wanted to play for Charlotte in Anthony Davis, then a bunch of players who didn't seem worth a number two pick.
I was livid when we didn't get #1. I fell prey to the conspiracy theories about it. My sister still brings up how upset I was that night whenever I talk about the NBA draft. I was so very disappointed.
Once MKG was on the team, I did love his effort and pulled for him a lot. I enjoy watching good defensive players. I wish it had worked out.
BigSlam wrote:
2011
1 7 Bismack Biyombo
1 9 Kemba Walker
The trade was shrewd that netted us the extra pick. And I was hopeful for both players. Positive outlook on draft night. Looking back, I'll rank this as second best draft experience.
BigSlam wrote:
2010
No selections
BigSlam wrote:
2009
1 12 Gerald Henderson
2 40 Derrick Brown
I wanted Hansbrough over Hendo, so I wasn't pleased. But I didn't think Henderson was a bad pick.
BigSlam wrote:
2008
1 9 D.J. Augustin
1 20 Alexis Ajinca
Seems like I wanted Lopez at 9, but I'm not 100% sure.
I do recall wanting Hibbert a lot at 20 and being annoyed that between the 3 bigs we hoped for there (Hibbert, Hickson, or Ajinca) we got the one I wanted the least.
BigSlam wrote:
2007
1 8 Brandan Wright
1 22 Jared Dudley
This one was perhaps the maddest I ever was with our draft moves. I had expected Joakim Noah at 8 and was okay with it. The player I really really wanted, but who I thought would not be there, was Brandan Wright. I had seen him play in person and really thought he was oozing with potential and would be a star.
When he fell to us, I was over the moon. Then we promptly traded him. BOO! I found Dudley to be a boring selection. I think I wanted Glen Big Baby Davis there.
Very bad draft night.
BigSlam wrote:
2006
1 3 Adam Morrison
2 50 Ryan Hollins
I was at the arena for this one. Morrison seemed like he would bring some much needed fan excitement, but I thought Rudy Gay was the correct choice and disapproved from a basketball standpoint.
Almost everybody there cheered loudly when we picked Adam. Because of being there among happy fans with positive energy, taking a picture with some cheerleaders, and talking to Jake Voskuhl, who seemed like a really nice guy, this was a fun night.
BigSlam wrote:
2005
1 5 Raymond Felton
1 13 Sean May
I was happy with choosing Felton, but I disliked the May pick. I thought Gerald Green or Danny Granger were the obvious choices and I thought they were pandering to UNC fans, desperate to get people interested in the team.
So this is the first time I thought we'd made a dumb move and I was a bit grumbly. I had no expectation May would be such a bust though. The player I had actually wanted from this draft was the third UNC guy, Marvin Williams, but I had not been in favor of trading both picks to move up, which had been discussed.
BigSlam wrote:
2004
1 2 Emeka Okafor
2 45 Bernard Robinson
At the time, we didn't know whether Orlando would go with Dwight Howard or Emeka until they made the pick. I had a slight preference for Howard as a potential star, but I figured Okafor would be better for generating positive vibes for the team, which I was overly concerned about because fan apathy had caused us to lose my beloved Hornets.
Either way, I was very pleased that we'd made some savvy moves to even have the second pick and put ourselves in the position to get a big man to anchor the new squad. And mostly, I was just so very happy to have a team again.
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