Damion Baugh: The Charlotte Hornets' latest two-way gem

Eric Collins, as only he can, said it perfectly during the third quarter of the Charlotte Hornets' surprisingly close loss to the Denver Nuggets: “Damion Baugh! I likely! I like this kid. Where’d we find him? I want six more!”

Damion Baugh has been somewhat of a revelation for Charles Lee's Charlotte Hornets. The spark plug scoring guard has breathed fresh life into the Hornets' LaMelo Ball-less offense in his two NBA appearances, providing the type of scoring punch off of Charlotte's bench that the team has missed for much of the season.

In a pair of games with the Hornets, the only two of his NBA career, Baugh is averaging 15 points and 4.5 assists per contest. On Thursday night in Denver Baugh poured in 14 points on six of seven shooting from the field while dropping six dimes. LaMelo was sidelined as he continues to manage a sore ankle and his replacement, Elfrid Payton, found himself in early foul trouble.

The Hornets needed a hero, and Baugh dusted off his cape.

Who is Damion Baugh?

Mar 19, 2023; Denver, CO, USA; TCU Horned Frogs guard Damion Baugh (10) celebrates in the first half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images | Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images

He entered the NBA in 2023 after four college seasons split between Memphis and TCU. He was signed by the Lakers' G-League team in South Bay and played with them for a year before landing with the Westchester Knicks. Baugh was averaging 12.7 points, 9.4 assists, and 6.2 rebounds per game in the G-League on efficient 41/33/73 splits when he got the call from Charlotte.

The Hornets signed him to a two-way contract on Wednesday, February 12th, and he made his debut with the senior club that same night.

Baugh's offensive strengths

His offensive game is as electric as the bright red sneakers he donned in his NBA debut.

Damion Baugh is a blur with the ball in his hands. He's proven himself to be a weapon on the fast break as a play creator and a play finisher, and his first step when blowing by defenders is menacing. Zeke Nnaji of the Nuggets fell victim to Baugh's slick handle and quick burst at the end of Thursday night's third quarter.

Damion Baugh is so tough. pic.twitter.com/F22N2rSzmk
— Barstool TCU (@BarstoolTCU) February 21, 2025

The rookie guard marries a solid drive game with a good-looking three-point stroke. In his brief stint with Charlotte, Baugh has proven adept at nailing threes of both the catch-and-shoot and pull-up varieties. He's nailed four of his first seven three-point attempts as a professional, and while he obviously won't shoot 54% for his career, his mechanics are sound and he hoists jumpers with supreme confidence.

Will Baugh ever run a high-level NBA offense as a lead ball handler? It's unlikely. Will he be a key piece in the Charlotte Hornets' rebuild? Probably not. However, he's shown enough in two NBA games to earn a closer look from Charles Lee and Jeff Peterson in the remaining eight weeks of the season.

Not bad for an undrafted second-year player who's NBA career seemed far away just a few months ago.

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