Hornets Draft Christian Anderson 18th Overall

Anderson, who wasn’t a top-100 recruit when he joined the Red Raiders in 2024, came off the bench as a freshman. However, he played a whopping 38.4 minutes per game in 33 starts for Texas Tech this past season, enjoying a breakout sophomore season as he claimed a spot on the All-Big 12 first team and was named the conference’s Most Improved Player. The 20-year-old averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game, with a strong shooting line of .472/.415/.805.

While some NBA evaluators have concerns about Anderson’s size – he measured just below 6’1″ barefoot and weighed in at 180 pounds at the combine – Jeremy Woo of ESPN describes him as a very “polished” offensive player capable of playing on or off the ball due to his strong play-making and shooting.

Anderson could slide right into the rotation behind LaMelo Ball and see significant action if Ball’s health issues resurface. Ball appeared in 72 games this past season but didn’t play more than 47 games the previous three campaigns.

Anderson certainly fits the Charlotte mold from an offensive standpoint. The Hornets took the second-most 3s in the league last season and Anderson jacked up an average of 7.9 attempts from long distance last season.

Anderson’s immediate impact could hinge on Coby White‘s free agency. White is an unrestricted free agent and could re-sign or be part of a sign-and-trade scenario.

The two draft picks could play for more than just the Hornets. Anderson has represented Germany in international play, so he and Steinbach could play together in both NBA and internationally going forward.