Leaky Black’s time with Charlotte Hornets comes to end

Leaky Black’s dream of playing for his hometown Charlotte Hornets came to a bittersweet end on Thursday, August 1.

There was hope that when Leaky Black’s time at North Carolina was up after the 2022-2023 season, he would be highly-sought after amongst NBA teams.

Black enjoyed a solid offensive jump during his COVID season, averaging a career-high 7.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, but that isn’t enough to be a consistent starter in today’s NBA.

Despite his prowess as a defensive ace, Black signed a 2-way deal with his hometown Charlotte Hornets – after going undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft. He spent most of last season with Charlotte’s G-League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, but appeared in 26 NBA games (three starts) – averaging 2.7 points in 10.7 minutes per game.

Black played Summer League ball with the Hornets again this summer. Unfortunately, that was his last time (for now) in Charlotte, as the Hornets released him on Thursday, Aug. 1.

If you follow the NBA, you’ll know Charlotte is one of the worst teams in the league. The Hornets, however, enjoyed a strong 7-1 Summer League – and are giving 2-way contracts to rookie KJ Simpson and Moussa Diabate instead.

If teams were looking at Black because of his defense alone, Black would be an easy first-round pick. As a Tar Heel, Black was typically assigned to the opposition’s top scorer.

There isn’t a lot of defense in today’s NBA, though, with some of the highest-ever point totals coming in the past couple seasons.

I’m sure another team will pick up Black, whether in the NBA, overseas or somewhere else in the Americas. After all, a player with Black’s caliber of defense is a rare find in today’s game – and defense wins championships.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.