Another premium pick in NBA Draft awaits Hornets. History hasn’t always been kind
Beyonce rocked the house in New Orleans and reunited with Destiny’s Child on stage, creating all the rage not long before a power outage halted the second half of the Super Bowl.
Apple released the iPhone 5s, one of the most attended films in movie theaters involved the lovable Minions in Despicable Me 2, and Vines were still popular and among the latest things to do on social media.
That all took place in 2013, which almost seems like eons ago even though it’s been just beyond a decade. It’s also the only year the Charlotte Hornets made the fourth pick in the NBA Draft — something they’re scheduled to do on Wednesday when the first of two days of the event tips off at 8 p.m. at Barclays Center in New York.
Cody Zeller walked across the stage and donned the organization’s hat in 2013, coming off the board after Anthony Bennett, Victor Oladipo and Otto Porter Jr. were selected. Zeller was taken ahead of the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Steven Adams, a pair of big men who’ve had more than respectable careers.
Zeller was with the Hornets for eight years before becoming an NBA journeyman. In the 552 NBA games he’s played in he’s averaged 7.9 points per game.
With their draft history in the lottery among the most scrutinized things given the organization’s lack of playoff — or even repeated regular season — success, all eyes will be on the Hornets once again when NBA commissioner Adam Silver steps to the podium to announce Charlotte’s latest youthful addition.
The Hornets also hold selection Nos. 33 and 34 in the second round, which takes place Thursday, and as a small market team hitting on their picks is extremely imperative. It’s how the Oklahoma City Thunder built itself to win the 2025 NBA championship, along with making strategic trades such as acquiring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — the same player the Hornets selected in 2018 and traded to the LA Clippers for Miles Bridges in a draft-day move.
Over the past two decades, four players selected fourth overall in the NBA captured rookie of the year honors, with two of those coming in the past four years highlighted by San Antonio’s Stephon Castle claiming the award in May.
Being picked in the first round doesn’t guarantee success, though, and the Hornets’ track record certainly proves that point, which is why it’s important to properly mine draft talent in order to have the right collection of talent surrounding the team’s best players.
Case in point: 12 players on the Hornets’ final roster were drafted in the first round and Charlotte selected five of them in LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Nick Smith Jr., Mark Williams and Tidjane Salaün.
The Hornets will soon add to that history and there’s going to be pressure on everyone to ensure it’s the right one given the long-term ramifications the franchise has already experienced with some of its previous first-round draftees.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS: FIRST-ROUND PICKS
2024: Tidjane Salaün (No. 6 overall)
2023: Brandon Miller (2), Nick Smith Jr. (27)
2022: Jalen Duren (13), Mark Williams (15)
2021: James Bouknight (11)
2020: LaMelo Ball (3)
2019: PJ Washington (12)
2018: Shai Gilgeous Alexander (12)
2017: Malik Monk (11)
2016: Malachi Richardson (22)
2015: Frank Kaminsky (9)
2014: Noah Vonleh (9); Shabazz Napier (24)
2013: Cody Zeller (4)
2012: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2)
2011: Kemba Walker (9); Tobias Harris (19)
2009: Gerald Henderson (12)
2008: D.J. Augustin (9); Alexis Ajinca (20)
2007: Brandan Wright (8); Jared Dudley (22)
2006: Adam Morrison (3)
2005: Raymond Felton (5); Sean May (13)
2004: Emeka Okafor (2)
2001: Kirk Haston (16)
2000: Jamaal Magloire (19)
1999: Baron Davis (3)
1998: Ricky Davis (21)
1996: Kobe Bryant (13); Tony Delk (16)
1995: George Zidek (22)
1993: Greg Graham (17); Scott Burrell (20)
1992: Alonzo Mourning (2)
1991: Larry Johnson (1)
1990: Kendall Gill (5)
1989: J.R. Reid (5)
1988: Rex Chapman (8)
This story was originally published June 24, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
