The Charlotte Hornets Had a Good First Week
Did you know Sion James has the best 3-point percentage in the NBA? Or that Ryan Kalkbrenner leads the NBA in field goal percentage?
The Hive comes alive at 7:00 PM as the 2-2 Charlotte Hornets host a 1-4 Orlando Magic squad that is having trouble getting off the launch pad.
The Hornets’ start has shown a lot of promise, and if we’re grading on a curve, a .500 start is more than a passing grade for a team that has struggled to find success in the post-Kemba era. The game away against the 76ers could have gone either way, and their wins have been with healthy leads.
Though four games is a small sample size, the team’s offensive rating is currently 4th in the league. Individual performances have also stood out.
Against Washington, LaMelo Ball recorded the first 30-point triple-double in Hornets history, with 38 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists. If he records the same numbers tonight, he’ll pass the 5,000 all-time points milestone.
Checking In: The Parliament of Rooks
Kon Knueppel leads all rookies in made 3-pointers with 16, and has more made threes through 4 NBA appearances than any rookie in league history. He’s currently #6 on NBA.com’s Rookie Ladder, though if he keeps hitting threes at this pace, expect his stock to rise quickly.
Ryan Kalkbrenner became the first Hornets rookie to record a double-double in their debut since Emeka Okafor in 2004. In case you needed a reminder, that was the first year of the Bobcats … 21 years ago. If that wasn’t enough, he currently leads the NBA in field goal percentage at 90.5% (19-21 FG).
Sion James, who is making the early case to be promoted from depth piece, isn’t playing like he was drafted 33rd. Instead, at .778%, he ranks first in the league in 3-point percentage.
Charlotte is looking to go back above .500 as they search for their first win against Orlando since April 2024. The Y’all Weekly team will be in the Hive tonight, and we hope you’ll join us for four quarters of coverage.