Charlotte Hornets News

Home

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Who is Antonio Reeves? Scouting Charlotte's latest two-way signing

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Matt Alquiza | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 9:26 PM ET

The Charlotte Hornets evaluated their 2024-25 season, identified their biggest weakness, and threw everything they had at fixing it this summer.

Charles Lee's outfit finished 11th in the league in three-point shooting frequency last season. Between October and February, a stretch of the season where the Hornets were at least moderately healthy, they ranked 7th overall in the number of three-pointers they attempted. They had no problem getting shots up.

Their problem was getting them to go down.

After finishing 28th out of 30 teams in three-point shooting accuracy, Lee and Jeff Peterson made it a point to acquire high-level shooters this offseason. It started in the draft when Charlotte selected Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley in the first round, and it continued into the free agency period when the team acquired Collin Sexton, Liam McNeeley, Pat Connaughton, and Spencer Dinwiddie in various signings or trades.

Charlotte's latest move, one that isn't likely to impact their senior club in 2025-26, is still a continuation of their clear offseason directive that prioritized long-range marksmanship.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Hornets reportedly agreed to sign Antonio Reeves to a two-way contract, marking the end of Damion Baugh's time in the Hornets' organization.

Scouting Antonio Reeves

Reeves shoots a good ball.

In limited action with the Pelicans last season (44 games), the former University of Kentucky Wildcat shot 39.5% from downtown. In nine G-League games, Reeves lit it up from deep, shooting 48.5% on 7.3 attempts per contest.

He's comfortable getting to his shot in a few different ways.

Although Reeves doesn't boast a manipulative, jitterbug handle, he's shown some ability to shoot the ball off the dribble. The set-up moves are rudimentary and were more successful attacking mismatches than another guard on the perimeter, but the pull-up jumper is a viable weapon in a pinch.

He's better off the catch at a standstill when he can set his feet and get off jumpers with his lightning quick release that is liable to heat up at any moment.

In the third quarter of a late-season win against Charlotte, Reeves knocked down three straight triples that turned a competitive game on its head, flashing the type of microwave scoring ability that a reserve guard can use to swing a contest in his team's favor.

It would make sense for Charlotte to use their last two-way slot on a big, but Reeves is an interesting target.

He finished the season on a heater that started with a nice game against the Hornets. https://t.co/wMRNJBOeAE pic.twitter.com/Ulu9PuN3Jb
— Matt Alquiza (@malquiza8) July 4, 2025

Reeves' play-to-play role in New Orleans' was fairly simple. He found the corner in transition, provided space for early offense, and would then go to work in the half court as the type of connective piece that Lee and Peterson have coveted.

He's a good decision-maker that rarely stops the ball. Basketball coaches at all levels talk about players needing to 'drive it, shoot it, or move it,' when they receive a pass, and Reeves does just that - he keeps the ball moving around the perimeter and makes quick decisions.

The newest Hornet isn't going to 'wow' you with any sort of manipulative playmaking abilities, but he's a fundamental passer that will thrive as a cog in the midst of a well-functioning team offense.

As a driver, Reeves doesn't bring much to the table as the majority of his buckets in the paint came in transition or on cuts. Because he isn't a wiggly ball handler or a freight train getting downhill, Reeves doesn't have many ways to create space against defenders. He is heavily reliant on his teammates to create looks for him in and outside of the arc.

On defense, Reeves is aggressive off-ball (which comes back to bite him on occasion) and steady when asked to defend on the perimeter. He has a slight frame, so he wins on defense with his smooth lateral agility. His hands are active (again, to a fault at times), but he's by no means a high-level event creator.

Adding Reeves to the Hornets' system is a solid move by Peterson and Lee. He's shown enough talent at the NBA level to project him as a long-term developmental piece that can operate as a high-level shooter and can change games in an instant with his jumper.

Further development of his all-around offensive game and some added strength to wall-up drivers will lead to a raising of his ceiling, but Reeves has proven in short spurts that he is an NBA-level talent as a 23-year-old.

Due to Charlotte's deep rotation of guards, Reeves will likely spend the majority of 2025-26 with the Swarm in Greensboro, which will do wonders for his development. A host of Hornets spent time with DJ Bakker's squad last season and came back to Charlotte as better basketball players, and the hope is that Reeves will do the same. His late-season surge was enough for the Hornets to roll the dice on his talent, and time will tell if the gamble will pay off.