Key Takeaways:
- š„ The Charlotte Hornets have the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
- š The Hornets' most likely first-round pick is UConn Guard, Stephon Castle.
- š The top two team needs for Charlotte are shooting guard and power forward.
Now that the NBA Draft Lottery has come and gone, we can officially turn our attention in the Tar Heel State towards next monthās draft and the possibilities that surround who the Charlotte Hornets will take with their first overall selection.
For the Hornets, the franchiseās decade-long nightmare on the court continues apace, with an 18-58 record, and the club hiring a new head coach after āÆSteve CliffordāÆannounced heād step downāÆat seasonās end.āÆ
For Charlotte, itās been more than 20 years since the clubās last playoff series win, when they beat the Orlando Magic in the opening round of the 2002 NBA Playoffs, illustrating how far the franchise has fallen of late.āÆāÆ
BetCarolina.com is constantly in North Carolina sports betting mode and broke down the odds on where Charlotte may go in the draft come June 26, as the Hornets try to get their act together after a slump thatās lasted for 22 years.
Charlotte Hornets Draft Picks 2024: Projected Picks
| Round | Pick # |
|---|---|
1 | 6 |
2 | 42 (from HOU) |
| ā Last Updated: | May 17, 2024 |
Charlotteās luck ran out in the ping pong lottery, with the franchise earning the sixth pick in the first round after holding the third highest odds of any team (at 13.3%) of landing the top pick overall.
Still, Charlotte will likely have their pick of top-level talent in late Juneās two-round draft, with a host of college and international talent sitting on the board when the Hornets make their first of two selections overall, along with the 42nd pick that the franchise acquired from the Houston Rockets.
Charlotte Hornets Draft Needs 2024
Top Draft Needs for Hornets: |
|---|
Power Forward |
Shooting Guard |
Right now, Charlotte's needs are well spread, with a roster thatās lean on experience and long on versatility. Thatās why we see them adding either a power forward or a shooting guard in this year's draft, with a pair of NCAA guards in our top three for the club, along with a member of G League Igniteās frontcourt.
š² MORE: North Carolina sports betting apps.
Charlotte Hornets Mock Draft: 1st Round Pick Odds
Player | Odds | Percent Chance |
|---|---|---|
UConn G Stephon Castle | +250 | 28.6% |
G League Ignite F Matas Buzelis | +450 | 18.2% |
Kentucky G Reed Sheppard | +600 | 14.3% |
UConn C Donovan Clingan | +600 | 14.3% |
G League Ignite F Ron Holland | +1000 | 9.1% |
Kentucky G Rob Dillingham | +1000 | 9.1% |
Other | +1500 | 6.3% |
Speaking of who Charlotte may go with their two draft picks in 2024, our top prospects for the club are UConn star guard Stephon Castle, who we have at +250, while G League Ignite forward Matas Buzelis (+450) and Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard and UConn big man Donovan Clingan are next up, at +600 each.
Throw in forward Ron Holland of G League Ignite and guard Rob Dillingham from the UK Wildcats at +1000 apiece and āotherā at +1500 and you have a full rundown on the picks that we could see the Hornets making with their first of two selections in next monthās NBA Draft.
āļø Betting on the NBA? Check out how to bet on the NBA in North Carolina, here on BetCarolina.com.
Charlotte Hornets Draft History: Last 3 NBA Drafts
| Year | Pick | Player | College |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | No. 2 (Round 1) | Brandon Miller | Alabama |
| 2023 | No. 27 (Round 1) | Nick Smith | Arkansas |
| 2023 | No. 41 (Round 2) | Amari Bailey | UCLA |
| 2022 | No. 15 (Round 1) | Mark Williams | Duke |
| 2021 | No. 11 (Round 1) | James Bouknight | UConn |
| 2021 | No. 56 (Round 2) | Scottie Lewis | Florida |
Since 2021, Charlotte has picked six players, with that sextet of basketball hope producing a total win share amount of 4.5 WS between them, with three of the six (Nick Smith Jr., Amari Bailey and James Bouknight) having negative career WS numbers.
Charlotteās high-water mark in the first round over the last three drafts is Mark Williams, who has a 4.9 WS total in 62 NBA games, while rookie Brandon Miller is the next closest, at 0.5 WS through his first 69 games in the league.
Stay with BetCarolina.com as we keep you updated on the Charlotte Hornets and provide you with the best North Carolina sportsbook promos so you can bet with confidence on your favorite team.
Charlotte Hornets Draft Odds FAQs
The Charlotte Hornets will have 2 draft picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, which are 1st round, 6th overall and 2nd round, 42 overall.
The Hornets will be looking to select the best player available in the 2024 NBA Draft, which leads to UConn guard Stephon Castle (+250) and G League Ignite Matas Buzelis (+450) being the favorites to head to Charlotte in the first round.
The Hornets drafted 3 players during the 2023 NBA Draft this past year, including small forward Brandon Miller, who is a Top 5 favorite for Rookie of the Year and averages over 17 points a game. Nick Smith and Amari Bailey were their other two selections, who have struggled to see playing time this season.
Author
Christopher Boan is a lead writer at BetCarolina.com specializing in covering state issues. He has covered sports and sports betting in Arizona for more than seven years, including stops at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.
