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

By Zachary Padmore

Virginia Cavaliers De'Andre Hunter (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Virginia Cavaliers De'Andre Hunter (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Gonzaga Bulldogs
Gonzaga Bulldogs Rui Hachimura (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Rui Hachimura

Like De’Andre Hunter, Rui Hachimura may be tough for the Charlotte Hornets to get come draft day, but he’s still worth keeping an eye on for now.

Hachimura is one of the best players in all of college basketball, averaging 20.1 points and 6.6 rebounds in his junior season at Gonzaga. At 6’8″, he’s a combo forward that has a good understanding of both ends of the court.

He appears to be NBA ready, and that’s going to excite teams picking in the lottery. He has a great combination of size, speed and strength. He’s improved his ball handling and shooting big time over the years and it’s going to help him as he adjusts to the next level after the draft.

I do have some worries about him on the defensive end, but he does have long arms and that will help him out on the perimeter. Overall, he’s already a pretty good player and has a chance to be a REALLY good player.

If he were to fall to the Hornets, Charlotte would instantly have their small/power forward of the future. I think he’d be a great addition and great contributor for many years to come. One can hope, right?