Key Takeaways:
- š„ The Charlotte Hornets are projected to get the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
- š The Hornets two most likely first-round picks are guards Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard out of Kentucky.
- š The top two team needs for Charlotte are shooting guard and power forward.
While weāre several months away from the 2024 NBA Draft, itās never too early for Charlotte Hornets fans to start dreaming about ping-pong balls and a future not devoid of talent.
For the Charlotte Hornets, the franchiseās decade-long nightmare on the court continues apace, with an 18-58 record, and the club in need of a new head coach after Steve Clifford announced heād step down at seasonās end.
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.
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 | 3 |
| 2 | 42 (from HOU) |
| ā Last Updated: | April 29, 2024 |
The Hornets currently have two draft picks this year, with our team at BetCarolina.com projecting them to land the No. 3 pick in Juneās draft, though we wonāt know for sure until the lottery on May 12.
The latest mock draft from Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has the Hornets landing Ron Holland of G League Ignite going to Charlotte, giving them a 6-foot-6 small forward that could complement Nick Richards (who has a team-high 5.9 win shares in 64 games this year), Miles Bridges and Malik Williams (2.1 WS each) in 2024 and beyond.
Throw in last yearās first-round pick, Brandon Miller out of Alabama (0.5 WS in 69 games), and you have the right ingredients to make some noise in a top-heavy Eastern Conference in 2025 and beyond.
Charlotte Hornets Draft Needs 2024
Top Draft Needs for Hornets:
- Power Forward
- Shooting Guard
Right now, Charlotte's needs are pretty 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 Kentucky Wildcats standing atop our Charlotte odds board at the moment.
š² MORE: North Carolina sports betting apps.
Charlotte Hornets Mock Draft: 1st Round Pick Odds
| Player | Odds | Implied Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky G, Rob Dillingham | +400 | 20% |
| Kentucky G, Reed Sheppard | +450 | 18.2% |
| Serbian G, Nikola Topic | +600 | 14.3% |
| G League Ignite F, Matas Buzelis | +800 | 11.1% |
| G League Ignite F, Ron Holland | +800 | 11.1% |
| UConn G, Stephon Castle | +1000 | 9.1% |
| Other | +600 | 14.3% |
Our top choices for the Hornets in 2024 are Kentucky Wildcats Rob Dillingham (+400) and Reed Sheppard (+450), who combined to post 7.8 win shares for John Calipariās former team this season.
Dillingham averaged 15.2 points per game on 44.4% shooting in 32 games for UK this year, while Sheppard finished the year with 12.5 points per game on 53.6% shooting for the Wildcats, with both presenting a true ball-handling threat for Charlotte in 2024 and beyond.
Throw in Serbian guard Nikola Topic, G League Ignite guard Matas Buzelis and forward Ron Holland (+800 each) and you have a good idea of who President James R. Jordan could tab with Charlotteās first pick in Juneās 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 is 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 two draft picks in the 2024 NBA Draft (as of April 5). They are projected to be the third overall (first round) and 42nd overall (second round) picks. The NBA Draft Lottery, which determines the draft order, takes place on May 12.
The Hornets will be looking to select the best player available in the 2024 NBA Draft, which leads to Kentucky guards Rob Dillingham (+400) and Reed Sheppard (+450) to 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.
