2025 NBA Draft: Charlotte Hornets specific big board 2.0

As the college hoops season winds down, the draft cycle begins to churn. The Charlotte Hornets, owners of the third worst record in the NBA as of the morning of March 31st, are honing in on this class of prospects as we barrel towards another pivotal offseason for the moribund franchise that will center around their top-end lottery pick.

The ultimate prize at the top of the draft, Duke's Cooper Flagg, has a 14.5% chance of staying in North Carolina, just packing up and moving south to the Queen City. Behind him lie a potential superstar point guard, a trio of basketball anomalies, and a number of talented hoopers with major question marks on their scouting profile.

With that in mind, let's dive into my Hornets specific big board, version 2.0 (version 1.0 from December can be found here).

Tier one: The Franchise

1. Cooper Flagg - Forward - Duke

Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) celebrates with guard Kon Knueppel (7) — Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Cooper Flagg has only strengthened his vice grip on this spot on my (and everyone's) big board. The über-talented freshman has been one of the country's best offensive players while providing nightly defensive highlights on Duke's dominant run to the Final Four.

On offense, Flagg is comfortable operating as an isolation scorer, pick and roll ball handler, second-side spot-up shooter, cutter, driver, facilitator...if you name it, he has proven that he can do it at a modest level at worst.

On defense, it's just more of the same. Flagg has proven adept at switching onto guards, defending in the post, or erasing shots and passes with metronomic timing and genius-level IQ.

Combine all of those abilities into a massive frame with Flagg's famed competitiveness and you get one of the best NBA draft prospects of the century.

Tier Two: The sure-thing

Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Dylan Harper (2) shoots the ball — Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

2. Dylan Harper - Point guard - Rutgers

As I've studied this draft class, the gap between Harper and his non-Flagg peers continues to grow. Harper is a large, sturdy ball-handler that sees the game like the son of a former NBA player that he is.

Harper will walk into the NBA with great positional size (6'6"), a nuanced ability to get to the rim (Harper shot 70% on close twos in his freshman year at Rutgers), something that the Charlotte Hornets lack, and facilitation skills that off-ball specialists will laud the chance to play alongside.

The fit with Ball and Harper on defense is questionable at best, but the duo would light it up when Charlotte possesses the ball. Allowing both supersized shot creators to feed off of the other's strengths is a match made in basketball heaven.

Tier three: The difference-makers with some question marks

Duke Blue Devils center Khaman Maluach (9) runs up court during the second half — Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

3. Ace Bailey
4. VJ Edgecombe
5. Khaman Maluach

Bailey and Edgecombe have been covered at length by Hornets on SI and will continue to be discussed as the draft approaches, but Maluach's run in the NCAA Tournament has elevated him up this big board and he deserves some praise.

Maluach, the 7'2" center from Duke, is supremely skilled on both ends of the floor although he's only played basketball for six years. His catch radius on lobs looks like it could reach the top of the backboard, and his defensive versatility continues to improve as Duke's romps through overmatched opponents on their way to San Antonio for the Final Cour.

The skill that differentiates Maluach from other stiff big men like Rudy Gobert and DeAndre Jordan is his touch. He's shooting 77% from the free throw line, and in a minuscule sample size, has shown a glimmer of an ability to knock down long-range jumpers. It is unlikely that he will ever become a consistent threat from the perimeter, but even the mere thought of him shooting from the outside makes his viability in a close playoff series that much greater, in-turn raising his draft stock.

Not only is he an burgeoning offensive player, Maluach has proven to be more than just a rim detterent on defense. A few times during Duke's run the freshman big has swallowed up opposing guards in switch situations, showing a fluidity in his footwork that is beyond his years.