Tag: James Nnaji

Hornets draftee James Nnaji to miss 4 months after back surgery

Hornets draftee James Nnaji underwent successful lumbar spine surgery after playing this past season with Barcelona.

Charlotte Hornets draftee James Nnaji underwent successful lumbar spine surgery this week after playing with Barcelona in the Liga ACB and EuroLeague.

Nnaji, the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA draft, is expected to miss at least four months, Barcelona announced. He averaged 2.5 points and 1.9 rebounds on 68.7% shooting from the field in 46 appearances this past season across all league competitions.

The 19-year-old missed time this season due to various injuries, including his lower back. He also played a reduced role with Barcelona with established players ahead of him in the frontcourt, like Jan Veslรฝ and Willy Hernangรณmez.

Nnaji, born in Nigeria, got a late start in basketball and only began playing in 2017. He joined Ratgeber Basketball Academy in Hungary and played one season with Pecsi in the top league in the country before signing with Barcelona in August 2020.

The 7-footer played three seasons with Barcelona at the junior and senior levels before the Hornets drafted him last year. He joined the team for summer league, averaging 3.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and two blocks in six appearances between Las Vegas and Sacramento.

Nnaji was likely a candidate to join the Hornets again this summer before his latest setback. He may elect to stay with Barcelona for another year and complete his rehabilitation with the team.

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Hornets GM Mitch Kupchak dined with draftee James Nnaji in Barcelona

Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak and assistant general manager Buzz Peterson dined with James Nnaji on Friday in Spain.

Charlotte Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak and assistant general manager Buzz Peterson dined with draftee James Nnaji on Friday in Barcelona, Spain.

Kupchak held a video conference call with local media members on Friday to discuss their recent moves at the trade deadline. He revealed the two executives were abroad to meet with Nnaji after watching him play with Barcelona.

The Hornets drafted Nnaji with the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA draft after three seasons with Barcelona at the junior and senior levels. He played with the Hornets last year in summer league and then returned to Barcelona for this season.

Nnaji, born in Nigeria, got a late start in basketball and only began playing in 2017. He joined Ratgeber Basketball Academy in Hungary and played one season with Pecsi in the top league in the country before signing with Barcelona in August 2020.

The 7-footerย is averaging 2.2 points and 1.7 rebounds on 64.4% shooting from the field in 35 games this season with Barcelona. He has played sparingly, with the roster boasting such names as Jabari Parker, Willy Hernangomez and Jan Vesely.

After playing this season in Spain, Nnaji could once again join the Hornets for summer league this year. The team and Nnaji will likely then determine the best path forward for the 19-year-old next year.

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5 players remain unsigned from the 2023 NBA draft class

Of the 58 prospects selected in the NBA draft, five remain unsigned.

The bulk of the offseason transactions across the NBA have been completed as teams and players reached terms on contracts and extensions when free agency opened last month.

Of course, there are still some other moves to make as rosters are finalized ahead of training camp in early October. Teams can carry up to 21 players on rosters during the offseason, including three two-way contracts this year.

The 2023 NBA draft class is mostly signed as well. Of the 58 prospects drafted on June 22, five remain unsigned after the Los Angeles Clippers agreed to a pact with Jordan Miller, the 48th pick, on Monday. The five remaining unsigned players were selected in the second round.

Rookie Wire took a look at each player and their contract status.

2023 NBA Mock Draft 5.0: 58 projections after the early entry withdrawal deadline

Rookie Wire took a look at where the next draft class stands following the early entry withdrawal deadline.

The NBA pre-draft process crossed another important checkpoint on the schedule with the early entry withdrawal deadline coming and going this week.

Prospects had the opportunity to test the waters and meet with teams to gain feedback on their potential draft stock. To maintain their remaining college eligibility, they had to withdraw from consideration by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.

The deadline saw several potential second-round picks withdraw from the draft and return to school. With name, image and likeness playing a prevalent role in college basketball, players were likely swayed to stay one more year to work on their games and capitalize financially.

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The 2024 draft is also projected to be weaker than in past years, which also may have played a role in some players opting against turning pro. They likely believe they will have a greater chance of being a first-round pick next year.

With several players off the board, teams can prioritize workouts and interviews with those individuals remaining in the draft. As a result, players’ stock will continue to fluctuate with less than three weeks to go until the draft.

Rookie Wire took a look at where the draft stands following the early entry withdrawal deadline. Team needs were taken into consideration for these picks.

Projecting who the Boston Celtics will select with the No. 35 pick of the 2023 NBA draft

Take a look at a new projection on who Boston might elect to use their No. 35 overall pick on using an aggregate mock draft and known workouts.

With the 2023 NBA draft lottery finally having come and gone, the Boston Celtics know where it is that they will be selecting with their sole pick of the 2023 NBA draft, a second round pick that came to them by way of the Portland Trail Blazers thanks to a complicated set of pick protections related to moves made in the 2022 offseason.

That pick will likely be used for a player able to contribute in the deep rotation immediately or to fill the third two way slot opened up for all 30 teams in the league in the new collective bargaining agreement adopted by the Association recently.

And with the lottery being set comes a fresh set of projections of who Boston and other teams might select — let’s take a look at what the folks at HoopsHype believe the Celtics might elect to use that No. 35 overall pick on using their aggregate mock draft and known workouts.

Barcelona’s James Nnaji officially declares for 2023 NBA draft

Nnaji is averaging 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 38 games across Liga ACB and EuroLeague competition.

James Nnaji, a 6-foot-11 forward playing with Barcelona, declared for the 2023 NBA draft on Thursday amid a promising three-year run in Spain.

The news was first reported by Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Nnaji, born in Nigeria, is averaging 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds on 67.9% shooting from the field in 38 games across Liga ACB and EuroLeague competition. He first started at the junior level with Barcelona in 2020 and earned a spot on the senior team last year.

The 18-year-old is highly touted for his ability to play with physicality down low. He is very mobile for his size and has found great success working in the paint. He will need to improve as an interior defender but with good size and athleticism, that should come with time.

Nnaji is projected to be a late first-round pick given his potential and ability on both ends of the court. He has yet to fully showcase himself, playing on a stacked Barcelona team, but has offered glimpses of his potential when he has been on the court.

The NBA draft will take place on June 22.

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2023 NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Projections for every pick post-March Madness

Rookie Wire took a look at where the next draft class stands following the NCAA Tournament.

The NBA pre-draft process is in full swing as prospects around the world prepare to transition to the next level.

Teams around the league will begin hosting private workouts in the coming weeks as they finalize their draft boards. There will be various pro days on the radar and, of course, the draft combine and G League Elite Camp next month in Chicago, Illinois.

Underclassmen have until April 23 to declare for the draft. Several notable players have already decided to return to school, including Kyle Filipowski, Harrison Ingram, Baylor Scheierman and Kel’el Ware. Others are still mulling over their decisions.

Related: Key dates for NBA draft, combine, lottery and deadlines

With players still in the process of making decisions, some prospects were excluded from this mock draft because they are projected to return to school next season. However, most players projected to be drafted have already announced their decisions.

Rookie Wire took a look at where the draft stands following the NCAA Tournament. It is important to note that team needs were not necessarily taken into account with each pick. The projections are rather a look at where each individual player stands at this point of the process.

Note: The order of the draftย was pulled from Tankathon as of April 14. The draft will have only 58 picks this year because the Bulls and 76ers were stripped of their second-round picks by the NBA due to tampering violations.