Oct 22, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) looks to pass during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

The Hornets unquestionably have two of the biggest steals from the 2025 NBA Draft

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated Oct 31, 2025 1:15 PM ET

Jeff Peterson still has a lot of work to do before he gets the Charlotte Hornets to a point where they can be taken seriously in the Eastern Conference and around the NBA, but this past summer's draft may have helped accelerate the rebuild to some degree.

Kon Knueppel is playing beyond his years, Ryan Kalkbrenner has been surprisingly good from the jump, and fellow second-round pick Sion James is proving to be a solid bench piece for Charles Lee. It's only a five-game sample size, but so far, the early returns look like Peterson pressed all the right buttons in the draft.

Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz recently named the five biggest draft steals in the NBA, two of which are members of the Hornets.

Ryan Kalkbrenner

"Second-round picks rarely step into starting jobs in the NBA, but that's exactly what we're seeing from Ryan Kalkbrenner already this season," Swartz wrote."Kalkbrenner's game doesn't scream future All-Star, and there's almost no offense coming outside of the paint (1.3 foot average shot distance). Still, the rookie knows his role on a scrappy young Hornets team and has been everything Charlotte should have hoped for and more as a second-round pick."

Kalkbrenner was largely drafted for his defensive presence, but his offensive game has been what's really turned heads in the early going. Through five games, he's shooting a scorching 90% from the field, hitting 27 of his 30 field goal attempts. Obviously, that's unsustainable, but his touch around the rim and feel for the game have been impressive.

Sion James

"James' 8.3 points per game are the most behind any second-round pick this season outside of Kalkbrenner, although their scoring couldn't be any more different. While the 7-footer does almost all of his work at the rim, James is 7-of-9 from three so far this season, with his 77.8 percent clip leading the entire NBA in the early going," Swartz said. "Add in five stocks and just one turnover through his first four games, and James looks like the ideal complementary player—operating effectively in a low-usage role and making an impact without the offense needing to run plays for him."

James registered his first career start last night against Orlando, chipping in eight points and four rebounds. He's never going to light up the stat sheet, but he's proving to be a rock steady presence on the floor who can be relied on defensively and is a connective tissue on offense.