Swarm and Sting
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Ranking the Charlotte Hornets last eight first-round draft picks

By Giovanni Spillman

Charlotte Hornets 2017 NBA Draft (Photo by Ashlee Espinal/NBAE via Getty Images)
Charlotte Hornets 2017 NBA Draft (Photo by Ashlee Espinal/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NEWARK, NJ – JUNE 23: Kemba Walker from UCONN greets NBA Commissioner David Stern after he was selected #9 overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the first round during the 2011 NBA Draft at the Prudential Center on June 23, 2011 in Newark, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ – JUNE 23: Kemba Walker from UCONN greets NBA Commissioner David Stern after he was selected #9 overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the first round during the 2011 NBA Draft at the Prudential Center on June 23, 2011 in Newark, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

2. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2012 Draft)

Following the lockout season in 2011, and the worst season in franchise history, the Bobcats (now Hornets) at the number two overall pick in the NBA draft. With this pick, the Bobcats selected Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

Kidd-Gilchrist has been with the team for six seasons now, and in this time he has averaged 9.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Coming out of college, he had a lot of hype about his abilities being translated to the NBA, but he had only one weakness, his shot form, and the inconsistency of his perimeter offense. Something that Kidd-Gilchrist has been almost elite at is his perimeter defensive abilities.

This pick was great for the Hornets, but the actual reason it has not been successful for the Hornets is the fact that not a lot of plays go through him. Due to his weak offensive consistency from the perimeter, not many teams view him as a threat on the offensive end of the floor.

With the inability to run plays through Kidd-Gilchrist, it has also put the Hornets at a disadvantage on the court. Instead of the Hornets playing five on five basketball on offense, it is almost as if now they are playing four on five. Not to mention that his free throw percentage has dropped from his career-high of 78% to a low 67%.

1. Kemba Walker (2011 Draft)

Honestly, who did you expect to be number one? Kemba Walker was the ninth pick in the NBA draft. He has played a total of seven seasons with the Hornets while demolishing many of the Hornets’ franchise records.

As a Hornet, he has averaged 19 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game. Walker had established himself has a dominant player in the NBA, and he has solidified the art of the step-back. He also has been selected to be in the NBA all-star game for the two consecutive years now.

Notable Franchise Records Broken Overall

  • Most Career threes: 1016 (Dell Curry: 929)
  • Most Career Points: 9841 (Dell Curry: 9839)
  • Most Career Free Throws: 2003 (Gerald Wallace: 1998)
  • Most Threes in a game: 10 (Kemba Walker: 9) – (Nicolas Batum: 8, Troy Daniels: 8, Ben Gordon: 8)
  • Most Points in a game: 52 (Glen Rice: 48)

Next: Hornets' ultimate all-time starting lineup

Despite trade rumors throughout this season, Walker remained poised and continued to play hard. Kemba has demolished many franchise records this season, and he only looks continue being a dominant force. Currently, Walker is sitting in second place behind James Harden with the most three’s made. He now has made 224 three-pointers, which is nearly twenty behind of what Harden has.

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