Tag: James Bouknight

Hornets’ James Bouknight issues apology over UConn ejection

Bouknight was ejected from his courtside seat by a game official during UConn’s win over Xavier on Saturday.

Charlotte Hornets rookie James Bouknight issued an apology after the former UConn guard was ejected during the Huskies’ win over Xavier on Saturday at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.

Bouknight was apparently asked to leave his courtside seat after standing with his phone in his hand. A game official witnessed Bouknight stand up and promptly asked him to leave. He eventually snuck back into the game and sat in the student section.

Huskies head coach Dan Hurley said afterward that it was not an ideal situation that Bouknight was ejected but did not want to comment on the incident. Bouknight said he will continue to support the program but vowed to learn from the matter.

Bouknight played two seasons with the Huskies before entering the NBA draft last year. He was named to the All-Big East first team as a sophomore after averaging 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 15 games.

The 11th pick is averaging five points and 1.7 rebounds in 28 games this season with the Hornets. He recorded his best game of the season on Dec. 10 with 24 points and six rebounds in a win over the Sacramento Kings.

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Hornets’ James Bouknight ejected from UConn game in Storrs

Bouknight on Saturday was ejected from his courtside seat by a game official during UConn’s win over Xavier.

Charlotte Hornets rookie James Bouknight on Saturday was ejected from his courtside seat by a game official during the No. 24 UConn men’s basketball game at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.

The former Huskies standout was apparently asked to leave after standing on the court with his phone in his hand. A game official witnessed Bouknight stand up and promptly asked him to leave the Huskies’ 72-61 win over Xavier.

Bouknight, after getting ejected, snuck back into the game and sat in the student section to watch the second half.

UConn head coach Dan Hurley wasn’t sure what happened after the game.

“That was not an ideal scenario because we were playing bad and kind of melting down a little bit and then he got tossed,” Hurley said. “I didn’t really see what happened and then I saw him again somewhere near the student section. I don’t know. I don’t want to comment on that, James is my guy. I didn’t see what happened.”

Bouknight was ejected during the second half on Saturday. (David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports)

Bouknight played two seasons with the Huskies before entering the NBA draft last year. He was named to the All-Big East first team as a sophomore after averaging 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 15 games.

The 11th pick is averaging five points and 1.7 rebounds in 28 games this season with the Hornets. He recorded his best game of the season on Dec. 10 with 24 points and six rebounds in a win over the Sacramento Kings.

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Hornets’ James Bouknight involved in verbal incident with James Borrego

Hornets rookie James Bouknight and head coach James Borrego on Saturday appeared to be involved in a verbal incident with each other.

Charlotte Hornets rookie James Bouknight and head coach James Borrego on Saturday appeared to be involved in a verbal incident with each other during a loss to the Miami Heat.

The incident occurred at the end of the third quarter after the Hornets were outscored 35-8 in the period. Bouknight appeared to get into an argument with Borrego and had to be held back by an assistant coach. He was eventually escorted to the locker room after the incident.

“Obviously, we were a little frustrated, all of us, in the third quarter, early fourth,” Borrego said. “We got a little emotional there and beyond that, I’ll leave it there.”

Bouknight, who was the 11th pick last year, logged just 14 seconds in the contest to close out the third quarter. He did not play in the fourth quarter and did not return to the bench area following the verbal altercation with Borrego.

The 21-year-old has played sparingly this season with the Hornets, averaging 4.8 points and 1.5 rebounds in 25 appearances. Borrego said he understood the frustration of Bouknight and eluded the incident could have been over playing time.

“He is in a tough spot,” Borrego said. “He obviously wants to play. I get that. I understand that. He’s a kid we believe in, we trust in. We’re going to find more minutes for him, more time.”

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Rookie Wire Power Rankings: Cade Cunningham flexing as No. 1 pick

Rookie Wire takes a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2021-22 season.

With two more weeks in the books, the Rookie Wire Power Rankings are back with a new player leading the way as Cade Cunningham has surpassed Scottie Barnes.

Cunningham has seemingly put a slow start behind him and is beginning to emerge as the consensus No. 1 pick. His scoring has taken off as of late while other elements of his game have been on full display with the Pistons, despite a recent 12-game losing streak.

The rest of the rankings feature some familiar names while other first-year players have emerged after seeing extended minutes. Teams are beginning to get decimated by health and safety protocols, opening the door for others to see meaningful playing time.

To make sense of it all, we took a look at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the latest edition of the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the best players week to week.

NBA Twitter reacts to James Bouknight’s monstrous putback slam

Bouknight had a career night on Monday and also threw down a monstrous putback slam that had social media talking.

Charlotte Hornets rookie James Bouknight produced a career performance on Monday and also threw down a monstrous putback slam dunk that had social media talking afterward.

Bouknight finished with 11 points, five rebounds and one assist in 22 minutes of action in the 127-124 overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. He registered seven points alone in the fourth quarter and helped Charlotte keep the game within striking distance down the stretch.

With the Hornets down five players to health and safety protocols, including LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier and Mason Plumlee, the team was forced to turn to Bouknight. The appearance was just his ninth of the season as he gave the team energy and effort off the bench.

Hornets head coach James Borrego liked how Bouknight played in the loss.

We believe in him. Obviously, the circumstances have put him in this position right now but he is showing what he has been doing behind the scenes. He has been working. He is getting better. There is a reason why we drafted him – this isn’t a secret. We haven’t been hiding this guy. We drafted him at a high number because we believe in him and it’s just about the opportunity now.

Bouknight turned in perhaps the play of the game midway through the fourth quarter. Following a missed shot by Gordon Hayward, Bouknight flew in from the baseline to crash the glass. He caught the ball and threw it down with one hand for the putback jam.

The play immediately caught the attention of #NBATwitter on social media.

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James Borrego explains what Hornets want from James Bouknight in G League

Borrego explained what the team wants to see from Bouknight when he is on assignment with the Greensboro Swarm.

Charlotte Hornets head coach James Borrego on Wednesday explained what the team wants to see from rookie James Bouknight when he is on assignment with the Greensboro Swarm in the NBA G League.

Bouknight has played sparingly to this point of the season with the Hornets, logging just six appearances for a total of nine minutes. The team has sent him to the Swarm on occasion in order to get playing time, and Bouknight has performed well during those contests.

The 11th overall pick is averaging 29 points, eight rebounds, 3.7 assists, two steals and one blocked shot in three games with the Swarm. He last played with the Swarm Nov. 19-20, producing back-to-back 27-point performances versus the Lakeland Magic.

The Hornets want to see Bouknight continue to grow and build good habits as a young player. The opportunity to play with the Swarm will also help him understand how he should play on a nightly basis, Borrego said.

He is understanding that watching these NBA games live in person you got to bring it every night. You’re playing against the best every single night — you cannot relax. You can’t take a possession off, a quarter off. You have to play with that high motor consistently. I’m looking for that as we evaluate him in the G League. His defense and just his offensive habits overall. He needs those reps. We’ll continue to evaluate him and make sure he is getting those reps with us or in Greensboro but so far, he is off to a good start.

Borrego said last month the team firmly believes Bouknight figures into its long-term plans but will need to find playing time for him. The organization likes what he brings and it figures to be only a matter of time before he can crack the rotation.

The Hornets know exactly what Bouknight can provide on a nightly basis given his ability on offense so it seems like only a matter of time before they turn him loose. In the meantime, Bouknight will undoubtedly stay ready for when his number is eventually called.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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LaMelo Ball reacts to James Bouknight dropping 33 points in G League

Bouknight led the Swarm with 33 points on Saturday, earning a shout-out from teammate LaMelo Ball afterward.

Charlotte Hornets rookies James Bouknight and Kai Jones on Saturday combined to score 48 points on assignment with the Greensboro Swarm in the NBA G League.

Bouknight led the Swarm with a game-high 33 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal and one blocked shot in a 111-104 loss to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He finished by shooting 9-of-21 from the field, including 5-of-12 from 3-point range.

Meanwhile, Jones recorded 15 points, seven rebounds, four blocked shots, two assists and one steal in 34 minutes of work. He scored nine points alone in the first half and went 6-of-9 from the field in the contest, making his lone 3-point attempt.

Bouknight emerged as an elite scorer in college last season at UConn. He has flashed that ability in a limited sample size with the Hornets and had that working on Saturday in Greensboro.

The performance even earned a shout-out from teammate LaMelo Ball.

Bouknight and Jones played with the Swarm on Saturday after seeing little playing time with the Hornets. The assignment with Greensboro gave them the opportunity to see extended playing time and stay fresh on the court to begin the season.

Hornets head coach James Borrego said last month the team firmly believes Bouknight and Jones figure into its long-term plans but will need to find playing time for them. They like what each player brings and it figures to be only a matter of time before they crack the rotation.

They were both recalled from the Swarm on Sunday prior to hosting the Golden State Warriors.

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Hornets assign James Bouknight, Kai Jones to Swarm in G League

The two players are expected to play on Saturday as the Swarm host the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

On Friday, the Charlotte Hornets assigned rookie guard James Bouknight and center Kai Jones to the Greensboro Swarm, their affiliate in the NBA G League.

The two players have played sparingly to this point of the season with the Hornets. Bouknight has logged only five appearances for the Hornets, totaling two rebounds in eight minutes of play. Jones has played five minutes in four games.

Bouknight and Jones will now have the opportunity to see extended minutes with the Swarm. They face the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Saturday and will likely have a large role in that contest on assignment.

Hornets head coach James Borrego said last month the team firmly believes Bouknight and Jones figure into its long-term plans but will need to find playing time for them. They like what each player brings and it figures to be only a matter of time before they crack the rotation.

The contest between the Swarm and Vipers can be streamed starting at 7 p.m. EST.

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Hornets looking to find the right opportunity for James Bouknight

Despite seeing few minutes this season, the Hornets believe Bouknight can become a regular rotational player in the future.

James Bouknight emerged as one of the top rookies during the preseason with the Charlotte Hornets but the 11th overall pick has yet to see consistent minutes during the regular season.

Bouknight earned praise from the Hornets for his ability as Terry Rozier believes he can develop into a special player. He responded by averaging 15.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, one assist and one steal in four preseason games, finishing third in scoring among all rookies.

However, Bouknight has logged just two appearances in five games to this point, totaling two minutes. The team is rather loaded in the backcourt and hasn’t been able to find playing time for him, something head coach James Borrego said they would like to do.

We’d like to get him some minutes. The roster is what it is. It’s tough with our roster and the way it’s set. His opportunity will come and it’s his job to stay ready and develop and grow, and that’s my job to help him. He is a very confident kid. He is a scorer. He can score at all three levels. He can get to the rim at will.

Bouknight has made a name for himself as a strong offensive player. He was an elite scorer in college at UConn and the Hornets strongly believe he can fit into their game plan. They like his potential on both sides of the ball, and even believe he can be an effective defender.

Borrego said the team will need to find the right situation for him to play.

He is going to fit our system, there is no question this kid fits who we are. It’s just about finding the right opportunity for him. He is a very confident kid, a lot of pride about his game on both sides of the ball. He is a strong, physical kid. I believe he has two-way potential in him, not just offensively but defensively, I think he can be a problem, someone we trust on that end of the floor.

The Hornets know exactly what Bouknight can provide on a nightly basis so it seems like only a matter of time before they cut him loose. In the meantime, Bouknight will undoubtedly stay ready for when his number is eventually called.

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NBA rookie grades: Examining the debuts of each lottery pick

Rookie Wire took a look at how each lottery pick played in their debut game and offered a grade for each performance.

Excitement spread across the sports world on Wednesday as the NBA continued to tip off its 75th anniversary season with 22 teams in action around the country.

The evening saw several elite performances from the biggest stars in the game, while the bulk of the rookie class also hit the court for the first time. Several of the top first-year players were in action as the final results produced a mixed reaction.

Of course, No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham was absent from the Detroit Pistons’ lineup due to a right ankle sprain but Wednesday saw plenty of other high draft picks make their debuts, including Jalen Green, Evan Mobley and Jalen Suggs among others.

Rookie Wire went through and took a look at how each lottery pick played in their debut game. We offered a grade for each performance, and some analysis on how they looked on the court.