Hornets to Work Out Six Draft Prospects Today

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Published: June 12, 2010

The Hornets will be holding their first draft workout this afternoon at the Alario Center. It appears that this initial workout will focus on wing players instead of the many forward prospects in the draft. According to the New Orleans Hornets the following players will be participating:

Xavier Henry– An explosive guard who can drive and has great range. According to LoveForTheHornets, he’s been considered a front runner for some time now. It’s presumable that the Hornets would like to know if he’s capable of playing the three in the NBA. See Ryan’s evaluation of Henry.

Gordon Hayward– Averaged 15.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Hayward was a crucial player on the 2010 Butler team that nearly took out Duke in the NCAA Tournament. He’s likely to play the three in the NBA.

James Anderson– He’s a big shooting guard with excellent scoring abilities. He already has NBA three-point range and has a sweet stroke. He’s considered to be at his best shooting off of screens, much like another three point shooter on the Hornets who might not be with the team much longer. He was among the top five scorers in the NCAA last year with an average 22.3 points per game, to go along with 5.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

Dominique Jones– A very athletic slasher and considered difficult to stay in front of, Jones can create his own shot consistently. He has great speed, lift and strength. He has a solid mid-range shooter off the dribble and is able to get to the free throw line often, something the Hornets struggled with last season. Additionally he rebounds and blocks shots well for his size.

Aubrey Coleman– Another great scoring guard with good physical tools and great shot creation skills. He contributes on defense and the boards with good hustle. Last season he scored 25.6 points per game (tops in the NCAA) to go along with 7.4 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 2.6 assists.

Dwight Lewis– You guessed it; he’s another scorer. Lewis though is also known for his tough perimeter defense. At USC he averaged 13.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals last season. He played most of his high school ball for Archbishop Rummel High in Metairie, La (just outside of New Orleans for the international fans), but was displaced by Katrina and finished his high school career in Texas.

Let’s rock some bullets for the sake of nostalgia.

  • It would appear that the team will be holding another workout at some point for the larger prospects.
  • I can’t blame them if they are targeting a guard or small forward. Those players typically have a much easier time adapting to the NBA, and are infinitely more likely to contribute early on. Ok, maybe not infinitely, but you get my point.
  • Xavier Henry is the only player under the age of 20 included in this workout, further lending credence that they are looking for a player that can contribute right away.
  • The inclusion of Dwight Lewis and Aubrey Coleman, neither of whom are expected to be drafted anywhere near the lottery, if at all, leads me to believe that the Hornets are entertaining the thought of picking up a second pick later in the draft. This is certainly exciting if there is any truth to it.
  • Paul George is not participating, but maybe that’s a good thing. As Ryan noted, “the cold, hard numbers don’t support him as a huge talent. “

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