James Nnaji’s path has taken another turn, and this one sends him from Baylor to George Mason.
The former Hornets draft-rights big man has committed to the Patriots after a short and quiet run with the Bears, continuing a journey that has already bounced him from the NBA pipeline to Europe and now through two college programs. For a player Charlotte once viewed with cautious optimism after acquiring his draft rights, the latest move only adds to a strange and winding story.
Nnaji’s rise started with promise. When the Hornets traded for his draft rights, he was an 18-year-old who had already played pro basketball in Spain, and there was real intrigue around what he might become. After a solid summer league showing with Charlotte, he stayed with Barcelona to sharpen his game in the EuroLeague and try to position himself for an NBA jump in 2024.
That didn’t happen. His minutes slipped behind Willy Hernangomez, and when he did get on the floor, he looked hesitant rather than ready. Once his club season ended, he underwent surgery for lumbar spine problems, which kept him out of the next Summer League.
By October of 2024, his rights had moved again, this time to the Knicks as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade that the Hornets helped facilitate. Charlotte had clearly moved on, and New York did the same. Nnaji remained overseas, but Barcelona had no immediate role for him, so he was loaned to another Spanish club, then recalled in the middle of the season and sent on loan to a Turkish club.
He did get back on the floor for the 2025 Summer League, but the performance still didn’t move the needle. Not long after, Nnaji and Barcelona mutually ended their contract.
That opened the door to Baylor, an unusual college landing spot for a player who had been drafted but never signed an NBA contract. The Bears needed help inside, and Nnaji was eligible to join them.
But the fit never really clicked. Baylor had already won nine of its 11 non-conference games before he arrived, then went just five of 18 in Big 12 play.
Individually, Nnaji’s numbers were just as underwhelming. He scored in only seven of 18 appearances and never reached double figures in either points or rebounds.
Now he’s trying again at George Mason, shifting from the Big 12 to the Atlantic 10 in hopes of finding a softer landing and, maybe, some momentum. He’s still only 21, but the repeated stops, stalled development and lack of traction across multiple levels have made this a tough track to bet on.
Nnaji is not on this year’s Hornets summer league roster.
In Other News...
Hornets Just Sent A Surprising Message About Kon Knueppel
Kon Knueppels first Summer League appearance with the Hornets came with an unusual twist, and it said plenty about how Charlotte views the rookie. Instead of sitting with teammates or spending the opener on the floor, he was placed alongside the coaching staff, giving him a front-row seat to the way the Hornets handle substitutions, defensive tweaks and offensive sets in real time.
It was a quiet but notable developmental move for a player the organization clearly believes has more going on upstairs than the average newcomer. Charlotte has not explained the decision, which only adds to the intrigue, but the setup gave Knueppel a rare chance to absorb the game from the bench and study the kind of details young players usually miss. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Trade Delay Is Holding Up More Than Fans Realized
A Hornets deal that has been sitting in the background is finally moving toward the finish line, with the LaMelo Ball and Naz Reid trade expected to be completed Friday as part of a larger four-team transaction. The move is being folded into a complicated set of leaguewide business that also ties in the Timberwolves, Nets and Bulls, the kind of paperwork-heavy shuffle that can keep a roster note from becoming official even after the basketball side is settled.
The ripple effects have reached beyond Charlotte, too. The Suns are waiting on the completion of the Hornets Bridges-related trade before they can finalize Luke Kennards signing because of salary-cap rules, while other teams are still navigating their own delayed business, including the Clippers Kawhi Leonard trade to Toronto. Even around the edges, the offseason is still being shaped by timing, cap math and a few transactions that are not quite done yet. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Fans Just Got An Encouraging First Look At Liam McNeeley
Charlottes Summer League opener offered an early glimpse of what Liam McNeeley can bring to the Hornets, and it came in a win. After a sluggish start against Orlando, Charlotte settled in and leaned on McNeeleys scoring to take control in an 86-74 victory, with the forward finishing as the teams leading scorer and giving the offense the kind of lift the Hornets were hoping to see from him right away.
The supporting cast did its part, too, as Hannes Steinbach added a strong all-around showing and Ryan Kalkbrenner chipped in with a productive night on the boards. Charlottes ability to recover after the rough opening stretch was encouraging on its own, but the bigger takeaway was how quickly McNeeley looked comfortable carrying the offense once the game opened up. [Read more 🡒]