Three Player Comps for Hannes Steinbach: Floor, Median & Ceiling

Three player comparisons for the Hornets 14th pick

Mar 12, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Huskies forward Hannes Steinbach (6) shoots a free throw against the Wisconsin Badgers during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Charlotte Hornets had a disappointing Summer League. They entered as reigning champions and left with a 1-4 record and a bunch of players who disappointed with their performances.

One of the few Hornets who left a positive impression was German rookie Hannes Steinbach. The 20-year-old brought almost all of the strengths he had shown in college and overseas to the courts in Las Vegas: Rebounding, finishing, and even some flashes of passing.

Steinbach put up 27 points and 15 rebounds against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Hornets' second-to-last game, then followed that up with 22 points and 11 rebounds against the Sacramento Kings.

Understandably, those stat lines and the overall impression left by Steinbach have Hornets fans very excited about what's to come. So, what could be to come? In the footsteps of which former NBA players could the big man follow?

The "Low End" Comparison: Donatas Motiejūnas

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To be clear, Donatas Motiejūnas was a passable NBA big man who also found success overseas. Having him here as a low-end comparison is a compliment to Hannes Steinbach.

Motiejūnas was the 20th pick in the 2011 draft and began his NBA career a year later in Houston. He would spend the majority of his time in the league with the Rockets, seeing ample playing time from 2013 to 2015.

Despite being around seven feet tall, the Lithuanian mostly played the four, would shoot an occasional three, and otherwise thrived as a capable scorer inside the arc.

Injuries kept piling up as time went on and ended up keeping Motiejūnas from becoming an established NBA player, but he still carved out a successful career overseas.

Should Hannes get unlucky with injuries and have his athleticism/foot speed suffer as a result, his skillset should still enable him to be a relatively good player overseas, similarly to Motiejūnas.

The "Middle-Of-The-Road" Comparison: Marcin Gortat

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Another European big man, Marcin Gortat played 12 seasons in the NBA. He was never an All-Star and rarely had explosive scoring performances. But his screen setting and rebounding, alongside steady double-digit point averages, made him one of the best non-star centers for years.

Gortat's ability to screen his defender inside the paint and free up a path for his guards was such a standout skill that those types of screens are referred to as "Gortat screens" to this day.

Furthermore, Gortat was a capable finisher and jumpshooter inside the arc. He truly was a fantastic roll man in his time with Washington, regularly picking defenses apart under John Wall's regimen.

Gortat's defense wasn't too shabby either. He had ups and downs over the course of his career, but mostly held up fine and made up for his lack of pop with good activity and positioning.

If Steinbach never becomes a floor stretcher from deep, he could very well carve out a Gortat-esque role in the league.

The "High End" Comparison: DeMarcus Cousins

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This might seem far-fetched, but it is the high-end outcome after all. In his prime, DeMarcus "Boogie" Cousins was an absolute freight train. He was quick, athletic, could push the ball up the floor, rebound, and even shoot the three from 2015 onward:

Now you might be saying: "Hannes is nowhere near that athletic!" Well... Is Hannes as athletic as Cousins? No. But has he shown flashes of special athleticism? Yes! Take a look for yourself:

Of course, all of this is against college competition, and Cousins' college stats look more impressive than Steinbach's. But then again, Cousins played on an extraordinary Kentucky team, and Steinbach played on a not-so-extraordinary Washington team.

To become a player of Cousins' caliber, Steinbach would need to take another jump athletically, yes. But as improbable as that jump seems, it's not impossible. And Steinbach does have the quick feet; he has the developing jump shot; he has the physicality.

Do not bet your life savings on Steinbach becoming as good as or better than Cousins. But keep in mind that underneath the steady skill set the German already has, there is more to tap into. And if that happens, Steinbach can most definitely become an all-star.

To hear more player comparisons for Steinbach and also some for his fellow rookie Christian Anderson Jr., feel free to check out the corresponding podcast episode on the Charlotte Hornets on SI YouTube (HERE) or Spotify (HERE) channel.

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