Charlotte Hornets: 5 players to draft with 11th pick

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 17: Josh Giddey of the 36ers dribbles the ball during the round 14 NBL match between the South East Melbourne Phoenix and the Adelaide 36ers at John Cain Arena, on April 17, 2021, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images) /

Australia guard Josh Giddey is the 11th ranked overall prospect by ESPN.

If the Hornets were to draft Josh Giddey, it wouldn’t be because of positional need but because he was the best available player on the board at that time.

Primarily a point guard, which the Hornets are currently set at with LaMelo Ball, Giddey is 6-foot-9 and can also be used as a potential shooting guard.

Like Ball, Giddey played in the NBL in Australia and averaged 11.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.1 steals in 25 games with the Adelaide 36ers. That means he could be immediately ready to play in the pros by already facing older competition overseas.

Giddey is a playmaker like Ball and is a solid ball-handler that could create a pretty entertaining backcourt in Charlotte.

As a floor general, Giddey still needs to improve on defense, his shooting, and consistency at the free-throw line.

There is a lot of similarities to Ball, but once again, this pick would be because he is the best available player on the board, which seems like it might be a possibility based on his draft projections.

Three other prospects to watch: C Kai Jones, PF Usman Garuba, G James Bouknight

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