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Charlotte Hornets 2019 NBA Draft: 5 centers to target in first round

By Zachary Padmore

Oregon Ducks Bol Bol (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Oregon Ducks Bol Bol (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Texas Longhorns
Texas Longhorns Jaxson Hayes (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Jaxson Hayes

Texas center Jaxson Hayes has really came out of nowhere to impress scouts and is now a projected lottery pick thanks to a strong freshman campaign.

Watching him in high school and transitioning into college, I knew that he was talented. I did not expect him to burst onto the scene this quickly, though. He’s being talked about a lot right now and could be a lottery pick thanks to his huge upside.

The big man is currently averaging 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in just 23.5 minutes per game for Texas. He’s surprised a lot of people with the amount of production he has put in as a freshman.

Hayes has draw some comparisons to former Longhorns center Jarrett Allen, who is now in his second season with the Brooklyn Nets. It’s a fair comparison, being that both Hayes and Allen are both lengthy centers that can protect the rim and finish around the basket.

Let’s remember, though, Hayes is still just 18 years old and is very raw. He’s going to be a project for whatever team drafts him, but it could pay off big time in the future. If the Hornets are looking for a potential long-term answer at center, Hayes could be the guy.