The Charlotte Hornets own their own first-round pick and are owed second-round picks from the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Hornets pick in the first round with the 11th overall selection, but in this profile, we’ll take a look at Iowa’s Joe Wisekamp, who may still be on the board when Charlotte picks at No. 56 and 57.
Age: 21
Height: 6′ 6″
Weight: 212 lbs
College Stats/Awards
Wieskamp enters the 2021 NBA Draft after spending three seasons at Iowa. During the 2020-21 season, Wieskamp played and started in 31 games and averaged 14.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists while shooting 49.1% from the field and 46.2% from three. Wieskamp started all 97 games during his three seasons with the Hawkeyes.
Last season, Wieskamp was a finalist for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award. He was a 2018-19 All-Big Ten Freshman Team choice, 2019-20 All-Big Ten Third Team pick, and a 2020-21 All-Big Ten Second Team selection.
Primary Strengths
Wieskamp can shoot the ball, especially from deep. He is a good shooter in catch-and-shot situations and a decent scorer off the dribble. Wieskamp can post up on smaller defenders and scores well on off-ball motion.
Wieskamp has solid size for a wing at the NBA level and he is a good rebounder at his position.
Primary Weaknesses
Although Wieskamp is a good shooter, he can be streaky and struggles to create his own shot. He struggles defensively, especially against players who are quicker. Although rebounding is a strength, Wieskamp struggles to create turnovers.
Draft Projection
Wieskamp would be a solid addition to a roster at the lower end of the draft. Experts don’t see him going undrafted, but he could fall anywhere in the second round.
The NBA seems to be all about offense these days and Wieskamp is a player that can get a team buckets. Improving on the defensive end will ultimately determine how big of a role he has on a team but Wieskamp should, at the very least, find a role as a shooting specialist wherever he lands.
The draft lottery will be held on Tuesday, June 22 on ESPN. The 2021 NBA Draft will be held on Thursday, July 29 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The draft will be televised on ABC (first-round only) and ESPN.