The Charlotte Hornets have selected James Bouknight with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Bouknight was a two-year player for the Connecticut Huskies who brings a ton of upside to a Hornets team who’s looking to build to its young core for the future.
Bouknight has the potential to be the best pure scorer to come out of the 2021 draft class. He can create his own shot, has a very quick first step, and is a solid ball-handler who could play the role of a secondary ball-handler when needed. He struggled from three-point range, shooting 29.3%, so he’ll have to improve mightily as a spot-up shooter if he’s to play next to LaMelo Ball. Bouknight was okay from the free-throw line, shooting 77.8%, so there’s promise in terms of his shooting projection in the NBA.
At UCONN he was asked to do a lot this season on the offensive end. This likely contributed to his poor shooting numbers. As he transitions into the Hornets offense he should get better looks and should see his percentages go up. Bouknight is also one of the more athletic prospects in the class, he’s quick and explosive which allows him to play above the basket and he finishes very well.
With the futures of Devonte’ Graham and Malik Monk unclear, as well as Terry Rozier being in the final year of his contract, Charlotte is expediting the process of finding Ball’s running mate at the shooting guard position. Players with scoring potential like Bouknight don’t come around too often so you have to take a shot on them if they fall into your lap and that’s exactly what Charlotte did.
Charlotte will be trusting their player development system to get Bouknight to develop into the potential star that many believe he can be.