NC State’s DJ Funderburk hoping to show Hornets and the NBA he’s more than a big man
The Charlotte Hornets brought in six additional prospects for a pre-draft workout Wednesday, including former N.C. State big man DJ Funderburk.
At Spectrum Center, players
Justin Gorham (Houston), AJ Lawson (South Carolina), Alonzo Verge (Arizona State ), Duane Washington Jr. (Ohio State) and Bryce Wills (Stanford) were also invited to Spectrum Center, where they worked on shooting, ball handling, finishing, 3-on-3 and 1-on-1 drills.
None of these prospects are expected to be taken at No. 11, where the Hornets pick, but they could be potential options in the second round. The Hornets also have the 56th and 57th picks in the 2021 draft.
Funderburk started at Ohio State before playing three seasons at N.C. State, where he had one year of eligibility left because of the pandemic. He opted to enter the draft after the season.
“I felt like I was personally mature enough and mentally ready this year, rather than last year when I entered,” Funderburk said Wednesday afternoon. “And I just felt like the way we ended the season how we did, I felt like it was the best decision for me to go ahead and test the waters and see what happens.”
The 6-foot-10, 225-pound big man was one of the Wolfpack’s best players. He averaged 12.6 points and 5.6 rebounds during the 2020-21 season and shot 56.2% from the floor. But the team struggled, finishing 14-11 and failed to make the NCAA tournament field.
Funderburk said the biggest thing he’s been able to gain during the pre-draft process was confidence, which is why he felt it was the right decision to enter his name in the draft.
He said he models his game after players like Draymond Green, a big man with ball-handling skills who can push the ball up the floor and lead a fast break.
“Not even necessarily putting myself as a big man. I’ve always internally felt I was more than that,” Funderburk said. “But I never really got a chance to show that.
“In this game now, it’s not really a position. You’ve got Joel Embiid shooting 3’s and crossing people. And Kyle Lowry and Chris Paul posting people up ... You’ve got to be able to do everything, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do all summer.”
Along with Wednesday’s prospects, the Hornets hosted former Duke forward Jalen Johnson on Tuesday for an individual workout. Johnson is a realistic option for the Hornets at No. 11.
They hosted Sharife Cooper (Auburn), Luka Garza (Iowa), Makur Maker (Howard), Roko Prkacin (Croatia), Jaden Springer (Tennessee), JT Thor (Auburn) and James Bouknight (UCONN) last week.
The NBA draft is July 29.
This story was originally published July 7, 2021 at 5:10 PM.
