What we learned from open practice: Hornets’ rookies have range, center has sweet tooth

There wasn’t a lot to learn from the one-hour open practice the Charlotte Hornets held Saturday – there was no scrimmaging – but at minimum, it looks like the two draft picks have an eye for 3-pointers.

Second-round pick Dwayne Bacon won an informal 3-point contest over fellow rookie Malik Monk and veteran Marvin Williams. Bacon made 19 3s in a minute. Williams hit 18 and Monk made 16.

Other observations from Saturday’s free event at Spectrum Center:

▪ All-Star point guard Kemba Walker was sent home with an illness Saturday, so he did not participate in the open practice.

▪ Hornets marketing chief Pete Guelli said Saturday was the biggest response the franchise has had to this sort of free open practice. At noon, when doors opened to the general public, a line to get in snaked around half of the Spectrum Center.

▪ Interesting statistic Hornets coach Steve Clifford threw out Friday, regarding Monk’s one college season at Kentucky: Monk averaged around seven points per game off fast breaks. Transition points are dramatically harder to come by at the NBA level.

▪ Clifford was mic’ed for the open practice, with his coaching over the speakers at Spectrum Center. Suffice it to say this was a “G” rated version of an NBA coach’s normal vocabulary at practice.

▪ The Hornets completed construction of the new team store (where the box office used to be) in time for an opening as part of the open practice Saturday. The classic pleats-and-pinstripes replica uniforms won’t be available until sometime in October.

▪ Biggest cheer of the practice was introducing center Dwight Howard. Howard has a major sweet tooth, and was asked his favorite candy: Skittles.

▪ I didn’t know Michael Carter-Williams is a big fisherman. He’s from New England, and loves to go after stripers.

▪ Dwayne Bacon beat fellow rookie Malik Monk and veteran Marvin Williams in a 3-point contest. Bacon made 19 3s in a minute. Monk made 16, and Williams made 18.

▪ Hornets television analyst Dell Curry, still the career Hornets’ leader in 3-pointers made, hit 10 in a minute from the corner. When he missed, it was generally off the left side of the rim. Dell’s aim these days is much more practiced on the golf course.

This story was originally published September 30, 2017 at 3:37 PM with the headline "What we learned from open practice: Hornets’ rookies have range, center has sweet tooth."