Latest two-round NBA mock draft predicts Hornets add plenty of size

The shortest person picked by Charlotte in SI's mock draft was 6'10".

Mar 13, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Stanford Cardinal forward Maxime Raynaud (42) passes the ball in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Charlotte Hornets already boast some decent size in their core. LaMelo Ball is a 6'7" point guard. Brandon Miller is a 6'7" (who looks much taller than that) shooting guard/small forward. Miles Bridges is also 6'7", and Mark Williams is 7'0". They're pretty sizable if nothing else.

However, NBA teams can never have too much versatile size, which is exactly the focus of the Hornets in the latest NBA mock draft. Sports Illustrated's Draft Digest Staff detailed both rounds of the draft, which includes three Hornets selections. They're all quite tall.

This comes just weeks before the NBA lottery, where Charlotte's dreams can come true or come crashing down as they have so many other times. For now, they're picking third, which is where SI predicts Ace Bailey, the 6'10" versatile forward, will get picked. That's the shortest player in this class for Charlotte.

Mar 12, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Ace Bailey (4) goes to the basket during the first half against the USC Trojans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images / Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

The other two picks are not reliant on the lottery. They pick 33rd and 34th in the second round thanks to owning the New Orleans Pelicans' second-round pick. With the 33rd pick, SI predicts that Maxime Raynaud from Stanford will get his name called. He's 7'1" and shot 34.7% from three for his college career.

One pick later, the Hornets go international with Bogoljub Markovic. He's another forward with size at 6'11", giving the Hornets an incredibly tall draft class. The latter two figure to be developmental picks or players that will purely be rotational players, but that still gives them a ton of versatility.

They could have a huge lineup with Ball, Miller, Bailey, Moussa Diabate, and Williams. Raynaud or Markovic could slide in and maintain a huge presence. Several of these players can play multiple positions, allowing head coach Charles Lee to be creative with rotations and do a lot of different things in 2025.

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