It’s been a very eventful evening for the Charlotte Hornets during the 2021 NBA Draft. Before the draft began it was reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Charlotte had traded the rights of the 57th overall pick to the Detroit Pistons for Mason Plumlee and the rights to the 37th overall pick which they have sued to select Auburn forward, JT Thor.
Not only does Thor have the best name in this draft class, but he was also one of the fastest risers of the draft cycle, rising quickly up people’s draft boards as he began to impress during workouts and was able to showcase his size, length, and unique skillset.
Thor is just 18 years old and stands at 6’9 with an impressive 7’3 wingspan. His mix of size and quickness makes for a very interesting prospect who could make for a Swiss army knife all over the court. At Auburn, Thor was very stout on the defensive end for his age. His length allowed him to protect the rim, blocking 1.4 shots per game. With his speed, he was able to defend on the perimeter and possesses good instincts that allowed him to get 1.4 steals per game. He’ll need to put on weight if he wants to be able to bang bodies down low, but even with his length, he should be able to influence shots and be a spark defensive presence.
Thor needs to find a true identity on the offensive end of the floor as it’s unclear where he fits at the moment. He wasn’t a great shooter at the college level, shooting just 29% from three and 74% from the free-throw line but his mechanics are smooth and should leave the Hornets with the hope that he can begin to knock down his shots.
Thor is another young piece being added to an already very young core as Charlotte continues to try and build a competitive roster that can grow together through the draft.