Hornets News: Who Experts Expect Team to Select with No. 2 Pick

The NBA draft lottery unfolded on Tuesday night, and Charlotte Hornets fans were likely disappointed that their team didn't claim the No. 1 pick and (most likely) the right to draft Victor Wembanyama.

Wembanyama is widely considered a generational talent and perhaps the biggest lottery prize in recent memory. Barring a massive surprise, he'll begin his NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs.

Charlotte did, however, exit Tuesday with the No. 2 selection and should still wind up with an elite prospect in next month's draft. Deciding who to take will be a bit more difficult for the Hornets than it will be for the Spurs.

Who do the experts believe the Hornets will ultimately take? Let's take a look at some of the top predraft buzz and predictions from around the web.

---

Alabama's Brandon Miller is a Popular Pick at No. 2

In his first post-lottery mock draft, ESPN's Jonathan Givony had the Hornets taking Alabama's Brandon Miller. It's a logical choice, given Charlotte's need for offensive playmakers—the team ranked last in the league in regular-season offensive rating (108.4)—and Miller's positional versatility.

"He's an easy fit on basically any roster thanks to his ability to play shooting guard through power forward, and would benefit from the shot-creation prowess of LaMelo Ball while having the leeway to develop into a primary playmaker in his own right on a team starved for talent," Givony wrote.

This past season, Miller averaged 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 32.6 minutes per game. The 6'9" prospect can hit shots, contribute on defense and has enough upside to be considered more than just a high-floor player.

In a draft without Wembanyama, Miller might have gained traction as a No. 1 pick. Givony is not the only one who likes his pairing with the Hornets. Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports also has Miller landing in Charlotte.

"Miller will give the Hornets a much-needed shooting touch as well as provide a transition partner for LaMelo Ball," Finkelstein wrote.

Bryan Kalbrosky of For The Win paired Miller with Charlotte in his post-lottery mock, while John Fanta of Fox Sports had Miller going No. 2 in his pre-lottery mock, albeit to the Houston Rockets.

"Miller fits the modern-day NBA in the best way beyond Wembanyama, and that's why he's No. 2 on my board," Fanta wrote.

Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports also mocked Miller to the Hornets. Unlike at No. 1, though, there isn't a consensus for the second selection just yet.

---

Charlotte Appears Poised to Pick Between Miller and Scoot Henderson

Scoot Henderson of G League Ignite is the other player experts seem to expect to land in Charlotte. According to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, Henderson is the second-best prospect in this year's class.

"Henderson is an explosive playmaker who has been seen as the likely No. 2 overall pick behind Wembanyama all season. In many other drafts, Henderson would be the clear No. 1 pick."

Unsurprisingly, Vecenie also paired Henderson with the Hornets in his post-lottery mock draft.

"I love the idea of putting Henderson in the backcourt with LaMelo Ball. It would create one of the most exciting, up-tempo attacks in the NBA," Vecenie wrote.

Last season, Henderson averaged 16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.5 assists. According to Janie McCauley of the Associated Press, Henderson has been mentored by none other than future Hall of Famer Stephen Curry:

Henderson ranks No. 2 on Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman's big board, and he was projected to Houston as the second pick on CBS Sports' Kyle Boone's pre-lottery mock draft.

"He's a fiery, swaggy competitor who has elite handles, major athletic pop and a creative mind that perfectly fits the NBA point guard position," Boone wrote.

Is there room for a third prospect to enter the equation? Well, maybe.

---

Keep an Eye on Amen Thompson

While it certainly feels like Charlotte's choice will come down to Miller and Henderson, it's important to note that the predraft process is fluid. As Vecenie wrote, a team like the Hornets could fall in love with the upside of a different prospect between now and June 22:

"There is a clear No. 1 with Wembanyama. On a consensus basis, teams see Henderson and Miller as the next two prospects in some order, although some evaluators will put Overtime Elite guards Amen and Ausar Thompson or even Villanova wing Cam Whitmore into that grouping from an upside perspective."

Overtime Elite guard Amen Thompson could be the player to watch from this alternative group. While he went No. 4 in Vecenie's mock, he's the third-ranked prospect on Wasserman's board.

Givony also has Thompson going fourth overall in his mock based on his tremendous athletic upside.

"Thompson is arguably the most physically gifted prospect in this class, standing 6-7, with an NBA-ready frame, thermonuclear explosiveness in the open floor and the defensive versatility to guard point guards through power forwards," Givony wrote.

Again, the Hornets will probably be deciding between Henderson and Miller in the coming weeks. However, Thompson is a unique-enough prospect that he should give Charlotte a third option to at least consider.