Charlotte Hornets: Mike Tobey is Quietly Putting Together a Productive Season

Mike Tobey might not be a familiar name but he is putting up some solid numbers for the Charlotte Hornets’ D-League affiliate in Greensboro.

While players like Christian Wood, Aaron Harrison, Xavier Munford, and Archie Goodwin get most of the attention on the Greensboro Swarm, Mike Tobey is lurking under the radar. The big man is quietly putting together a largely productive season. The Charlotte Hornets may have found a diamond in the rough with the 6’11 center.

Tobey initially impressed the team during the offseason when he played for Charlotte’s summer league team in Orlando. He played well enough to earn a training camp invite and later a deal with the Hornets’ D-League affiliate in the Greensboro Swarm. He was a raw prospect coming out of the University of Virginia but he is slowly developing into a solid prospect.

Mike isn’t super athletic but what he lacks in athleticism, he makes up for in size and strength. He is a big body down low and can play on both ends of the floor. Might not sound like much but with players on the Hornets like Frank Kaminsky who struggles mightily on defense and Roy Hibbert who struggles big time on offense, a big man that can perform on both sides of the ball is encouraging for the team.

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So far this season, the 22-year old is averaging 11.0 points per game, 8.8 rebounds per game, and 1.3 blocks per game in the NBA D-League. He has played in 28 games and is shooting 48.2% from the field. His rebounding is his biggest strength and that has led to 11 double-doubles for him this year. (Three coming in the last four games.)

He probably won’t see any action with the Hornets this season unless injuries devastate their frontcourt. The most intriguing part about Tobey is that he is a young player with upside and there is a question mark regarding his future with Charlotte. Is he going to be a contributor in the coming years or will Mike slowly drift away and never make the team’s final roster?

Both are still possibilities and nothing has yet been determined but it is clear that he has what it takes to develop into a solid play for them one day. While he isn’t at the NBA-ready level that Munford, Harrison, Wood, and Goodwin are, Mike could easily reach that sooner rather than later. He is already proving that he can dominate in the D-League but he will have to continue that this upcoming offseason.

Tobey will likely get another chance to play with the Hornets’ summer league team and battle for a roster spot in training camp. With Hibbert’s struggles, it is unlikely that Charlotte will re-sign him. Even now, the D-League prospect may be able to offer more than Roy can but the experience differential is the separating factor there.

This is just a small sample of what Tobey brings to the table:

His play is largely going unnoticed but quietly, Tobey has the sixth most double-doubles in the D-League this season. He is one of only eight players in putting up the type of numbers that he is in Developmental League this season. (Stats.NBAdleague.com) So while other guys on the Swarm get the credit (and they do deserve it because they are all playing well), Mike is doing the dirty work.

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Continue to keep an eye on Mike Tobey as he could be a player that makes an impact with the Charlotte Hornets in a year or two. The organization is also putting together a nice pool of prospect in Greensboro. The Swarm are loaded with talent but the 6’11 center from Monroe, new York is quietly becoming one of the most interesting players on the team.

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