Charlotte Hornets NBA Draft: Bruno Fernando may offer a lot of help

If the Charlotte Hornets look to upgrade their frontcourt in this upcoming draft, then Bruno Fernando may be their guy who can help.

With the draft occurring in two months, it’s no secret that the Charlotte Hornets are looking for some help to improve their frontcourt. Luckily, they will have quite the talent pool to choose from this year.

If all other talent is taken by the time that the Hornets make a selection, a player they should go after is Bruno Fernando. Unlike many selections, Fernando is a player who consistently averaged a double-double throughout the course of this season.

About Bruno Fernando

Height: 6’10″

Weight: 240 pounds

Wingspan: 7’4″

2018-19 Stats: 13.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 60% FG, 30.0 minutes.

Strengths:

• Strong post presence
• Great at rebounding the ball on both sides of the court
• Efficient shot-blocker
• Plays fast during the fast-break
• Plays with a high amount of energy and effort
• Has great length
• Efficient free-throw shooter, shot 77% from the line last season

Weaknesses:

• Needs to work on not committing too many fouls
• Needs to improve his offensive game, uses only his right hand mostly
• Needs to work on passing rather than playing isolation
• Struggles on finishing through contact dunks
• Lacks a true perimeter game

Fernando has a lot of raw talent that is just waiting to be unlocked by the right team. He brings a strong presence to the post and proved that he could be a great defender last season.

During this past season, he managed to average a double-double and started all but one game for Maryland. He has the size and athleticism to play both the power forward and center position.

During this season, it was easy for him to get into double-figures with his points and rebounds. He finished the season with a total of twenty-two double-doubles; for a college athlete, this is impressive.

He did not win any awards this season, but he did manage to rack up two honors as a sophomore. At the end of the season, he was named to the Big Ten All-Defensive team and First-team All-Big Ten.

He dominated in his conference and gained the respect of his peers this past season. His team also managed to finish the season with a 23-11 record. His team might not have been the most successful, but Fernando carried his team on most nights.

As a prospect, I think that the Hornets should not shy away from him. If he is the best remaining big by the time that Charlotte picks, it would be outrageous if he isn’t taken.

The Hornets’ frontcourt struggled a lot during this past season, and it’s time for the team to find their self a star big man. Over the past five years, the Hornets have only had two dominant bigs, Al Jefferson and Dwight Howard.

While it’s essential for the team to find someone who can aid Kemba Walker if he stays, they need to be serious about addressing their most significant need. I’m ready for the Hornets to stop getting bullied in the paint and on the glass.

Mitch Kupchak has the chance to really shift the tides of this Charlotte franchise in this upcoming draft. It’s essential for him to get the best available prospect who can help this team. In under two months, we will know who the Hornets will pick in the draft, get excited!