Ryan Kalkbrenner was the second of the Charlotte Hornets' two second-round picks, and they believe he can help right away with the team. He is a center who has a lot of skill, especially on the defensive end of the court, having been a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year.
In a recent interview, Kalkbrenner talked about the adjustments that he needs to make as he starts his journey in the NBA.
"Learning different responsibilities on offense. It's not too terribly different, but I've been running the same offense for 5 years (at Creighton), so I gotta break a big habit there. It's been good.. It's not crazy different, but there's definitely a learning curve to it."
️ Ryan Kalkbrenner on college vs NBA:
— r/CharlotteHornets on Reddit (@HornetsReddit) July 8, 2025
"Learning different responsibilities on offense. It's not too terribly different, but I've been running the same offense for 5 years (at Creighton), so I gotta break a big habit there. It's been good... definitely a learning curve to it." pic.twitter.com/ayEdFzwwiE
Kalkbrenner was very comfortable in the offense that he was in at Creighton, so learning something completely different is going to take him some time. Of course, the Hornets would like to afford him time to learn, but if they are unable to find another center via trade or free agency, he may be asked to contribute right away off the bench, rather than down in the G League, developing.
What Kalkbrenner can bring to the Hornets is shot blocking and a low-post presence. He started hitting some threes last season, so they are hoping he can keep improving on his shot to give them a big who can help stretch the floor - something Mark Williams was unable to do.
Last season with Creighton, Kalkbrenner averaged 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game. He shot 65.3 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from beyond the three-point arc.
He joins Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley, and Sion James as part of a draft class that the Hornets are very excited about. Charlotte has revamped their roster as it hopes to take a competitive step in the Eastern Conference next season.
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