Charlotte Hornets Draft: Luke Maye can provide a variety of reliable skills

With the Charlotte Hornets lacking true talent at the Power Forward spot, could the Tarheel Luke Maye be a good second round pick up for the team?

The Charlotte Hornets have a knack of drafting players who have North Carolina ties. There is currently a player from the Tarheels who could provide much-needed depth at the Power Forward spot.

Many may know this player because of his game-winner that he hit in the Elite Eight round of the 2017 College Basketball Tournament, but Luke Maye has been relatively consistent for the Tarheels in the past two seasons.

About Luke Maye

Height: 6’8″

Weight: 240 pounds

Wingspan: Not listed

2018-19 stats: 14.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 43% FG, 30.9 minutes

Strengths

• Reliable scorer from the entire court
• Has a high basketball IQ
• Strong build that can finish well through contact
• Has the killer instinct in clutch moments
• Decent perimeter shooter
• Rebounds the ball well

Weaknesses

• Undersized for his position
• Lacks speed and athleticism
• Must improve his shooting percentage
• Must continue to improve from the three throw line
• Has a pass-first mentality
• His age (22 years old)

Maye is an exciting prospect that made a lot of noise in college with his late-game heroics for the Tarheels. On many nights, he was “Mr. Reliable,” and he would make the hard shots for UNC.

As a four year player for the Heels, he demonstrated a work ethic that many NBA coaches would like to have on their team. On Saturday, he demonstrated his hard work when he worked out for the Hornets.

After workouts, Maye told reporters that he has “the ability to stretch the floor, rebound at a high rate.” He also stated, that “the ACC is the best league in college and I had double-digit rebounds back-to-back years. Also, being able to bring a high IQ.”

While in college, Maye put up consistent numbers for the Heels; he averaged a double-double while finishing the season with fifteen double-doubles. He never averaged a triple-double last season, but his play-making abilities helped him come close at times.

While Maye may seem undersized for the four spot, he still has the ability to be a strong force in the frontcourt. Just like Marvin Williams, Maye still has the size to play a hybrid role between the three and four spot.

Maye did not shoot as well from beyond the arc, as he did in his junior year. Despite last seasons’ decline, Maye still possesses a nice outside game, and with the right coaches, I think he can really blossom into a consistent perimeter shooter.

Luke Maye’s Tarheel roots could be what makes Charlotte take him in the second round. Maye has the talent to be taken in the draft, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Charlotte uses one of their two second-round picks on him.

The Hornets have under two weeks until the NBA Draft, and they have a lot of hard decisions to make. Drafting Maye in the second round could help Charlotte by providing more depth for their frontcourt, so it’s essential to watch for this.