Terry Rozier spoke very highly of rookie James Bouknight over the offseason, and the Charlotte Hornets veteran once again offered some praise for the 11th overall pick.
Rozier is among the Hornets veterans that have offered Bouknight plenty of guidance to this point. He has seen him up close throughout training camp and the preseason, and has been thoroughly impressed by what he has seen so far.
Bouknight responded by averaging 15.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, one assist and one steal in four preseason games. His 63 total points were third-most among all rookies.
“He is special,” Rozier said on Tuesday. “He is a guy that probably won’t win Rookie of the Year but in a couple of years down the line, he’ll be a hard matchup. He’ll be a starter in the league and be a hard matchup for anybody going up against him. He is one of those types of guys. He has got a lot to learn but he is special and I don’t say that about too many rookies.”
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Bouknight represents a big part of the future in Charlotte and should see plenty of playing time this season. He has the ability to give the Hornets a boost of offense off the bench, one area from which the team will greatly benefit.
With steady improvement over the next few years, Bouknight could emerge as one of the top players from this draft class. Rozier certainly won’t be surprised to see that happen.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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