Why Bam Adebayo wanted to be drafted by the Charlotte Hornets

As we look back at the 2017 NBA Draft, did the Charlotte Hornets get the person that wanted to be with them the most?

Throughout the Charlotte Hornets’ history, there have been a variety of players who wanted to be drafted by the team. However, one specific player, who is really talented, actually wanted to be drafted by the Hornets.

Zach Lowe of ESPN wrote an article back in February that covered Bam Adebayo and his road to the NBA. After reading this article, fans found out that Adebayo actually wanted to be drafted by the Hornets.

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Adebayo was drafted in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat with the 14th pick. During this draft, the Hornets selected Malik Monk with the 11th pick in the lottery. Moreover, Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz was also selected behind Monk.

When Adebayo was asked about the draft, he told Lowe that he “wanted Charlotte.” Adebayo went on to say that he wanted to play for the Hornets because he loved the idea of playing close to home. Adebayo wanted to play somewhere that was closer to where his mother lived.

Even though Adebayo felt comfortable after his pre-draft workout with the Hornets, things began not to go his way after Charlotte traded for Dwight Howard. At this point, the Hornets had three active centers on the roster.

After not being drafted by the Hornets, Adebayo was not sure where he would go. He was certain that the next three teams may no pick him, but he got extremely excited when he got the call from the Heat.

Many fans feel as if the Hornets missed out on a couple of great players in the 2017 Draft, one of them being Adebayo. Since being drafted by the Heart, Adebayo has averaged 10.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.

The 2019-20 season has been his best season so far as a professional. He made the All-Star team for the first time and is also one of the main players being talked about for the Most Improved Player Award. He averaged 16.2 points and 10.5 rebounds during this season.

If the Hornets did not trade for Howard, would they have considered drafting Adebayo? No matter the result, the Hornets must go on to face Adebayo multiple times every season since he plays for their rival.

Even though many did not expect Bam Adebayo to progress as fast as he has, many fans may find it crazy to think that he wanted to be drafted by the Charlotte Hornets. With this in the past, does Adebayo still hold something against the Hornets for passing on him?