Three draft prospects the Hornets should keep an eye on at the ACC Tournament in Charlotte

The Charlotte Hornets' home arena, the Spectrum Center, will be overran by college students and alumni this week as the ACC Tournament descends upon the Queen City. Folks from all over the Southeast (and the West Coast, for whatever reason) will get the opportunity to watch teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference attempt to topple the top-ranked Duke Blue Devils in an attempt to win the conference title.

That won't be the only reason folks are taking in the hoops action.

Conference tournament time is one of the most fruitful seasons for NBA Draft prospect scouting. The do-or-die scenarios allow vast opportunities for potential pros to prove their skills to be NBA worthy as the added pressure mounts. With the tournament in their backyard, the Hornets have a rare opportunity to get a closer look at some of their potential targets without leaving the comfortable confines of their home arena. Lets dive into a couple.

Cooper Flagg - Duke

Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) brings the ball up the court in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center — Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Duh. Flagg is the best prospect in the draft. Whichever team earns the number one overall pick in the annual NBA Draft lottery will be afforded the opportunity to draft a well-rounded, franchise-changing talent that will lead a team for the next decade plus. Flagg's elite motor and dogged desire to compete will be on full display in Charlotte, along with his deep bag of skills.

Isaiah Evans - Duke

Duke Blue Devils forward Isaiah Evans (3) reacts after hitting a three-point shot — Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Evans is one of the most intriguing prospects in the country at this point of the draft cycle. Duke's sixth man was out of John Scheyer's rotation for much of the season before catching fire late in the non-conference slate. The Charlotte native is an unbelievable shooter who has never seen a three-point attempt he doesn't like.

His draft stock is hard to parse at this point due to his lack of minutes, svelte frame, and questions about how he'll impact winning basketball outside of scoring...but there's no doubt that he can fill it up from downtown - a valuable skill in the modern NBA.

If Evans ends up declaring for the 2025 draft he's the perfect archetype for Charlotte to target early in the second round: a knock down shooting, high-upside prospect with big-time pedigree.

Hunter Sallis - Wake Forest

Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Hunter Sallis (23) brings the ball up court against the Virginia Cavaliers — Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Sallis is an interesting case study in how betting on yourself doesn't always work. The Wake Forest Demon Deacon was a projected first round pick in 2024 who went back to school to raise his draft stock into potential lottery range. Unfortunately for him, a bevy of mock drafts now have him falling out of the first round into the early second round after a disappointing 2024-25 season.

He's a bit of a tweener as a 6'3" guard who plays a score-first, interior-centric game that has struggled to make plays for teammates and knock down long-range jumpers as a senior. However, his feel for the game is there, and a team willing to bet on his potential in round two could be rewarded with a solid backup two-guard for a long time.

Other prospects to watch

Khaman Maluach - Duke
Tyrese Proctor - Duke
Ian Jackson - North Carolina
Sion James - Duke
Chase Hunter - Clemson
Kon Knueppel - Duke

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