On the heels of Monday night’s NBA Draft Lottery and the No. 4 pick that the Charlotte Hornets landed, it’s worth wondering what type of player the Eastern Conference stalwart might land next month. Utilizing Basketball-Reference.com, BetCarolina.com found the performance of the last 25 players (2000-2024 Draft) selected with the No. 4 overall pick in the NBA Draft. Can this summer's pick help the Hornets change their outlook at North Carolina sportsbooks?
Accomplishment | Number | Percentage |
Won Rookie of the Year | 4 of 25 | 16.0% |
Made All-NBA Rookie First Team | 9 of 25 | 36.0% |
Made An All-Star Game | 7 of 25 | 28.0% |
Made An All-NBA First Team | 2 of 25 | 8.0% |
Made An All-NBA Defensive Team | 2 of 25 | 8.0% |
Won An MVP | 1 of 25 | 4.0% |
Won An NBA Championship | 7 of 25 | 28.0% |
While there’s no such thing as a sure thing in the NBA Draft, the Hornets should be partly relieved to know that the NBA’s reigning Rookie of the Year winner (Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs) was taken fourth overall a year ago before averaging 14.7 points, 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game in his first season.
Other noteworthy NBA players that went fourth overall include Scottie Barnes (2021 to the Toronto Raptors), Kristaps Porzingis (2015 to the New York Knicks), Aaron Gordon (2014 to the Orlando Magic) and Russell Westbrook (2008 to the Oklahoma City Thunder).
Throw in NBA veterans like Mike Conley Jr. (2007 to the Memphis Grizzlies) and Chris Paul (2005 to the New Orleans Hornets) and you get a sense of what type of player could be available for Charlotte when they hit the clock come June 25.
While no one outside of the Queen City knows for sure where the Hornets will go come draft day, Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com has Charlotte taking Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe with the fourth pick, getting their hands on the 2024-25 Big 12 Freshman of the Year.
Edgecombe was a one-man tour de force in Waco this NCAA season, averaging 15 points per game on 43.6% shooting while hitting 34% of his shots behind the arc, potentially sliding in alongside point guard KJ Simpson and ahead of Nick Smith Jr. on the team’s depth chart this NBA season.
While players like Edgecombe might lack the star power of a Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper, that’s not to say that the Hornets are out of luck because they fell to No. 4 in this year’s draft, with stars like ‘CP3’ and Russell Westbrook serving as an example of the type of talent that could be out there for Charlotte to choose from come late June in Brooklyn.
Based on the fact that four of the 25 players (16%) went on to win the Rookie of the Year and nine of those players (or 36%) made the All-NBA Rookie First Team, there’s certainly no reason to hang your head if you’re a Hornets fan, because the team’s next franchise icon could very well be there at No. 4 during this year’s draft. Keep tabs on the Hornets' outlook across NC betting apps year round at BetCarolina.
USA Today photo by Zachary Taft.
Historical data from 2000-2024 shows a 28% chance (7 of 25) that the Charlotte Hornets’ No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft becomes an All-Star, per BetCarolina’s analysis. This makes the No. 4 pick a promising opportunity for landing a star player.
There’s a 16% chance (4 of 25) that the Hornets’ No. 4 pick wins NBA Rookie of the Year, based on 2000-2024 draft data. More likely, the player could earn All-NBA Rookie First Team honors (36% chance), boosting the Hornets’ future roster.
Only 4% of No. 4 picks (1 of 25) have won an NBA MVP, making it a long shot for the Hornets’ 2025 draft pick. Russell Westbrook has been the only player to do so, winning in 2017.
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.
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