3 unheralded Charlotte Hornets you need to watch out for in 2025-26

Keep an eye on these players that you might otherwise overlook.

Nov 16, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Tre Mann (23) handles the ball during the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

All the attention for the Charlotte Hornets, understandably so, is going to be on Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball this year. Aside from those two, Miles Bridges and Kon Knueppel will also be in the limelight plenty. But four players do not make up a team, and there are some underappreciated players that you should have your eye on in 2025-26.

Liam McNeeley

Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Liam McNeeley arrives before the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The attention is rightfully on Kon Knueppel for this 2025 rookie class, but Liam McNeeley has the chance to be a really impactful player. He doesn't have the shooting that Knueppel does, but this was a borderline lottery pick that fell to Charlotte. He could end up becoming a key piece of the puzzle.

McNeeley even outperformed Knueppel at the start of Summer League. He's probably not going to be a starter, but McNeeley, at 6'7", has the chance to carve out some minutes as a true wing, something the Hornets, with their logjam at guard, don't really have a lot of right now.

Grant Williams

People have understandably forgotten about Grant Williams, who has been out since LaMelo Ball's 50-point explosion in late 2024 and is not expected to be back at the start of the season. But when he does get back, the Hornets are getting a versatile defender who can also provide some offense.

It's a small sample size, but Williams had the 11th-best defensive rating (which includes players like Malachi Flynn and Jared Rhoden, who played a combined eight games) and the best offensive rating. He was a solid two-way player, and people might not realize how good he actually was and won't remember until he's back on the court making plays.

Tre Mann

Buried in the aforementioned logjam at guard is Tre Mann, the undersized shooter who doesn't project as a highly impactful NBA player but somehow was for the Hornets. Again, it's a very small sample size, but since coming over, Mann has actually been pretty great on the offensive end.

He had the eighth-best offensive rating on the team last year, and he was top 10 among all Hornets in assist percentage, turnover ratio, effective field-goal percentage, and player impact rating. All the attention is on newcomers like Collin Sexton and Spencer Dinwiddie, but Mann might be the best backup guard on the roster.

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