Key Takeaways:
- š„ The Charlotte Hornets have the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft on June 26th.
- 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.
At BetCarolina.com, we have all our attention towards this weekās 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 continued last season, with an 21-61 record, and the club then tabbing Celtics assistant Charles Lee as their new head coach afterāÆSteve 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: | December 20, 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 its 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 | +350 | 22.2% |
G League Ignite F Matas Buzelis | +400 | 20.0% |
Tennessee F Dalton Knecht | +450 | 18.2% |
UConn C Donovan Clingan | +450 | 18.2% |
France F Tidjane Salaun | +1250 | 7.4% |
Kentucky G Rob Dillingham | +1250 | 7.4% |
Other | +1750 | 5.4% |
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 +350, while G League Ignite forward Matas Buzelis (+400) and Tennessee forward and UConn center Donovan Clingan are co-listed at +450 apiece.
Throw in French forward Tidjane Salaun and Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham at +1250 apiece and āotherā at +1750 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. Three of the six (Nick Smith Jr., Amari Bailey and James Bouknight) have 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
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.
