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Former Charlotte Hornet signs with European powerhouse

Isaiah Wong is taking his talents to Lithuania
Albert Bottcher|
Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images

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Charlotte Hornets

It was announced on Wednesday afternoon that combo-guard Isaiah Wong has signed with Lithuanian EuroLeague club Zalgiris Kaunas. The 24-year-old spent a large portion of the season with the Charlotte Hornets before being waived on February 13th. He now joins former University of North Carolina player Brady Manek on a team making a push for the playoffs in the EuroLeague.

Initially a late second-round selection by Indiana in 2023, the Pacers didn't see much use in Wong and allowed his two-way contract to expire after one year. Following a short stint with Utah's G-League affiliate, the Hornets picked him up on a two-way contract in early December amidst the injuries of LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and Tre Mann.

Wong's stats with Charlotte this year: 20g | 13.3mpg | 6ppg | 1.6rpg | 1.4apg | 39.4%3pt

Expectations were understandably low for Wong, but he quickly made a noticeable impact, establishing himself as a solid, low-volume three-point shooter. His offensive skillset didn't stand out much otherwise, but he did give the Hornets a valid ballhandling option at a time where they desperately needed those.

Defensively, the former Miami Hurricane also held his own, considering his lack of size and weight. Out of all players who racked up double-digit games for the Hornets this season, Wong has by far the best defensive rating at 102.6.

Wong's best performance in the purple and teal came in his second-to-last game, when the Hornets visited Detroit on February 9th with a slew of injuries to worry about. But an unlikely trio stepped it up, as Miles Bridges (30pts), Seth Curry (26pts), and Isaiah (17pts) kept Charlotte close in a 102-112 loss.

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Albert Bottcher
ALBERT BOTTCHER

Albert Böttcher is a basketball enthusiast from Germany who has been covering the Hornets for On SI since February of 2024. He's contributed to draft and game day coverage, but also writes in-depth pieces on multiple Hornets-related topics. He also works for the media department of the German basketball club Alba Berlin.

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