The Charlotte Hornets own their own first-round pick (11) and are owed second-round picks from the Brooklyn Nets (57) and the Los Angeles Clippers (56). Over the next couple of months, leading up to the 2021 NBA Draft, Swarm & Sting will take a look at prospects hoping to hear their name called on draft night.
Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert enters the 2021 NBA Draft as one of the best three-point shooters in the class. The Bulldogs fell just short of a national title in 2021, losing to Baylor in the title game, but after playing all four seasons with Gonzaga, Kispert has shot up draft boards and is considered as a likely lottery pick.
Age: 22
Height: 6’7
Weight: 220
Stats/Awards
Kispert is coming off a very successful season for himself. During the 2020-21 season, Kispert averaged 18.6 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game on shooting splits of 54/44/88.
Kispert was named a 1st team Consensus All-America and All-WCC along with being a finalist for the Wooden Award.
Primary Strengths
Kispert is going to make a lot of money in the NBA off of his shooting alone. He excels not only in catch-and-shoot situations but off-the-dribble as well. His form is pure and his release is consistent and confident, he can go toe to toe with the best shooters out there.
He’s the ultimate team player on both ends of the court. Kispert is a very good cutter, makes great decisions in the flow of the offense and in transition, and is a very solid team defender. He’s almost always in the right place and is consistently making winning plays.
Primary Weaknesses
Being a senior in a draft class can have its downfalls. At 22 years old, many will say that Kispert’s potential is low, you know what you’re gonna get when selecting him.
Kispert doesn’t have the ball handle and self-creation that could take his game to the next level in the NBA. Kispert is going to be a guy that mostly needs others around him to feed him to be successful.
Kispert is also not the most athletic player and can struggle to move laterally, for this reason, it’s a concern in how he’ll look when having to defend smaller, quicker guards but I think this is an area in which he can improve.
Draft Projection
Kispert is likely going to be a mid-late lottery pick but I wouldn’t be surprised if he either went in the top 10 or slipped right outside of the lottery. You truly know what you’re getting with Kispert and three-point shooting is something that is valued very highly in today’s NBA. It wouldn’t be a shock to see a team like the New Orleans Pelicans at No. 10 that’s looking to add specialized role players around their young stars select him highly.
As it relates to the Hornets, likely, Kispert is there at No. 11 and there is a realistic chance that he is the pick. Charlotte has prided itself on its youth and player development over the past few seasons and think that they are an offseason away from competing in the NBA playoffs. Adding a prospect with the experience and abilities that Kispert brings makes sense. He could slot in immediately and be a lethal three-point threat off the bench.