The Charlotte Hornets have the 4th, 33rd, and 34th picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. With the draft officially less than a month away, it’s time to look at which prospects in this class perfectly fit the Hornets’ roster.
Best Prospects For Charlotte in the 2025 NBA Draft
4th Overall Pick: V.J. Edgecombe
V.J. Edgecombe is the most athletically gifted player in this class. He has the highest defensive upside of all guards in this draft class and can easily develop into a great point of attack defender with his unique combination of size, strength, speed, and instincts. According to Barttorvik, Edgecombe had the 4th highest DBPM (Defensive Box Plus Minus) in the Big 12’s freshman class. V.J.’s biggest swing factor is his on-ball creation ability. Edgecombe is a poor ball handler, positionally speaking, and his spatial awareness is also underwhelming.
Despite being so gifted athletically, Edgecombe only shot 60% at the rim in his singular season at Baylor. That stems from his lack of deceleration when attacking the basket; he tends to move at one speed, which often leads to low-quality shots near the rim. Another swing factor for him is shooting. Edgecombe certainly has upside as a shooter, shooting 34% from three and 78% from the free-throw line. He shot 36% on catch-and-shoot threes and 35% on spot-up threes, which leads me to my next point.
Edgecombe’s biggest strength as an offensive player is his off-ball scoring ability. V.J. was better as an attacker off the catch than he was off the dribble. He projects to not only be a promising connective passer at the NBA level, but also a promising ancillary playmaker as well. Edgecombe should be a guy who can make a noticeable impact early on in his NBA career.
Other Potential Prospects: Ace Bailey, Kon Knueppel, Tre Johnson, Collin Murray-Boyles
33rd Overall Pick: Miles Byrd
A 6-foot-7 wing with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, Miles Byrd is a three-point reliant wing with smooth and fluid shooting mechanics and high upside in that aspect. But, in his three years at the collegiate level, he only shot 30.4% from behind the arc. Despite showing all the signs of being an elite shooter, he struggled with consistency through his 68 games at San Diego State. For example, in the first 15 games of the 2024 season, Byrd shot 38.7% from three on 6.2 attempts per game. In the following 15, he shot an abysmal 20.5% on 5.5 attempts. This same thing also occurred in his first year with the Bears.
Transitioning to defense, Miles’ long arms help him excel in the passing lanes. He’s extremely active with his hands while guarding ball-handlers; on top of that, he possesses strong defensive instincts, which is the most promising aspect of his defense. Byrd was solid when it came to rim defense for his frame, and his length proved to be valuable when contesting shots from the perimeter and near the basket. But, he’s uber aggressive as a defender. That, in some cases, is a good thing, but it can also raise some major concerns when it comes to fouling.
Miles Byrd projects to be an impactful 3&D player in the NBA. Averaging 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists this season while playing a little bit over 30 minutes, Miles is currently projected to be a late first-rounder or an early second-rounder in this upcoming NBA Draft. Given the opportunity, Charlotte should pounce on the idea of adding Miles Byrd to this roster in June.
Other Potential Prospects: Johni Broome, Jojo Tugler, Drake Powell
34th Overall Pick: Ryan Kalkbrenner
Ryan Kalkbrenner is a 7-foot-1, 23-year-old center from Creighton. Kalkbrenner is an elite interior defender who has some uncanny measurements. At 7-foot-1 barefoot, he is the second-tallest player in this draft class, with the second-longest wingspan. This size makes him an imposing figure around the basket. He averaged an impressive 2.4 blocks in his four seasons at Creighton, with a 4.8 DBPM. Offensively, there’s a lot to like, with his elite finishing, screening, and improved three-point shooting. Speaking of which, in the past year, Ryan’s three-point percentage jumped from 29% to 34%, albeit on a limited 61 attempts this season.
One concern is that Kalkbrenner doesn’t have much lateral quickness or overall foot speed, for that matter. At the NBA level, he’s going to be hunted in pick and rolls, which could potentially lead to him being played off the floor. Aside from the height, he’s not much of a lob threat vertically. He doesn’t possess the ability to create his own shots; nearly all of his shots were assisted. He doesn’t project well as a playmaker, either, and doesn’t make the necessary reads needed to be seen as a playmaking big. Additionally, he only averaged 1.1 assists in his 169 games at Creighton.
Kalkbrenner has some of the highest defensive upside in this class, while still showing signs of being a possible stretch big. There’s also a very real possibility he isn’t available when this pick comes around. Kalkbrenner’s basketball instincts are too good to pass on. So, once again, if the opportunity presents itself, Kalkbrenner should be the Hornets’ pick at number 34.
Other Potential Prospects: Cedric Coward, Ben Henshall, Will Riley
The Last Word
The NBA Draft begins June 25th, and Charlotte, with three picks, has the fifth most of all teams in this class. The result of this draft could alter the direction of this franchise in unexplainable ways. The Hornets are in desperate need of wing and big depth. Selecting these guys, while still making the necessary moves in the offseason, would put this team in a much better position.
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