All Hornets

Why Sion James must be at the center of the Charlotte Hornets' future

He's way more important than you think.
Colin Keane|
Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James.
Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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Charlotte Hornets

Kon Knueppel is the young star that has Charlotte Hornets fans excited about the future (and for good reason), but Knueppel isn't the only rookie who is going to play an integral part in transforming Charlotte into a winner. Sion James belongs in that conversation alongside Kon.

While Knueppel has provided the Hornets with a new franchise centerpiece -- a role that LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller have struggled to hold onto due to constant injuries -- James has provided something that the franchise has utterly lacked for many years: defensive purpose.

To put it bluntly, the Hornets haven't had any sort of defensive identity in the LaMelo era, and that's not to say it's Ball's fault; it's more so an indication of Charlotte's roster construction during this time period, which hasn't featured a defensive-minded, high-quality basketball player like James.

It's not just James' NFL-esque physicality, athleticism, or off-the-charts basketball IQ that make him such a strong asset defensively ... it's his mindset and attitude on the defensive end that not only make him a great individual defender, but have his winning energy rubbing off on other Hornets.

James actually put this attitude into words during a halftime interview in the most recent win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Sion James is the defensive leader that the Hornets have been waiting for

"We're taking pride in guarding the ball, keeping the ball in front ... and if we do get beat, which hasn't happened a ton, but when it does, we've had each other's backs," James said.

The key word there is "pride." With James on the team, the Hornets suddenly have some semblance of pride on the defensive end. His presence and example have allowed Charles Lee's vision for the club to actually stick. It's one thing to want your guys to play hard defensively and preach it every day, but if the players themselves aren't putting in the effort, there's nothing to be done.

Lee has been preaching defense for a longer time than he's had a guy like James to carry out his mission and set an example for others that is contagious.

James' mentality is going to have a trickle-down effect that makes the entire Hornets' culture better in every aspect, not to mention the individual games of guys like Brandon Miller, who has so much more potential defensively if he were held more accountable by his teammates on that end.

We've seen championship teams in the NBA recently who have defensive captains of sorts, or guys on their roster who set the tone defensively and basically ensure that their team is playing up to a certain standard. This can be achieved through example, through speech, or both.

Draymond Green is an obvious example during the Golden State Warriors' prime. Alex Caruso is that guy for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

James has some of those qualities for this Hornets team, and that's not to discredit his offerings on offense, either. He's an excellent passer, decision-maker, and he's currently shooting north of 38 percent from three.

To win in the NBA, you need more than star scorers. You need guys who are willing to add value to defense. And when you find a guy that's not only enhancing your defense but making his teammates better defensively, you've found one of the most valuable and rare ingredients of a championship-type roster.

The Hornets must hold onto James for as long as they possibly can. He's a much more valuable asset than people realize, and if Charlotte truly wants to become a playoff team, Sion must be a key piece of that mission.

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Colin Keane
COLIN KEANE

Colin Keane is a contributing journalist for "UConn Huskies On SI." Born in Illinois, Colin grew up in Massachusetts as the third of four brothers. For his high school education, Colin attended St. Mark's School (Southborough, MA), where he played basketball and soccer and served as student body president. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Villanova University. Colin currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "UConn Huskies On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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