All Hornets

Charles Lee's Charlotte Hornets Set the Tone in California Summer League Opener

Matt Alquiza

Photo via @Hornets on X.
Photo via @Hornets on X. / Photo via @Hornets on X.

For the first time since the Battle of Monmouth in 1778, Charles Lee led his troops into battle. The 1778 battle was more consequential in the lens of world history, but tonight's was important for the Queen City as it marked the beginning of a new era in Charlotte Hornets basketball.

The Hornets took down the Spurs 97 to 65 in Lee's debut. It was a truly dazzling efford on both ends for four quarters for Charlotte's California Summer League squad.

My main takeaway from the game was Charles Lee's palpable energy on the sideline. Lee, the only full-time sitting head coach calling the shots in the California Summer League, was very animated on the bench. Encouraging his players, clapping for defensive effort, calling the shots on offense, Lee was locked in. If you told me Lee brought the same energy to this game that he did to last month's championship-clinching game five for the Boston Celtics, I wouldn't doubt you.

The team matched Lee's energy. Charlotte was first to every loose ball in the first quarter, setting the tone. They got up and down the floor, dictating the pace from the opening tip. It was a truly impressive effort from a rag-tag bunch of players that could have gone through the motions in a seemingly meaningless summer scrimmage. Kudos to Charles Lee, his staff, and the players on the roster for their energetic effort.

The relentless effort didn't come at the cost of protecting the ball. In an up and down, fast-paced game (which most Summer League games are) Charlotte only turned the ball over seven times. Hornets' fans and pundits have been screaming for the squad to employ true point guards in the Summer League for a few years now and Charlotte obliged in 2024. A refreshing sight.

The main billing on this matchup was the Spurs' first-round selection (number four overall) Stephon Castle vs. Hornets' sophomore Nick Smith Jr. Both guards handled primary playmaking duties, and Charlotte's Smith Jr. did a masterful job running the offense early on. Smith did exactly what he was supposed to do as a seasoned NBA player hooping in the California Summer League. He got his business done early and looked comfortable handling the ball all night long.

On the other hand, the Hornets' Bryce McGowens failed to make a real impact. After getting waived earlier in the day, McGowens struggled in Charlotte's off-season debut. One would think that a third-year player with 100+ NBA games under his belt would dominate in this setting. McGowens didn't. He won't be in purple and teal next year, but these next few weeks are integral in him earning a second contract with an NBA squad.

The most dominant player on both ends was Charlotte's Mouhamadou Gueye. His two-way impact was eye-popping. In the first half alone, Gueye tallied 15 points, four rebounds, and three blocks, but the numbers don't tell the full story. He finished through and around contact, knocked down jumpers, protected the rim, and disrupted everything the Spurs tried to do on offense with his Mr. Fantastic wingspan (7'3 as compared to his 6'9" height). His best first half highlight was a slick euro-step around former Hornet Nathan Mensah.

And his second-half highlight was this nasty facial in the fourth quarter.

Not everything was kosher with Gueye, though. He struggled with fouls (ending the night with seven, a la Brandon Miller last summer) and had some erratic closeouts, but he showed enough game to earn some more burn as Summer League continues.

The last Hornet of note was big man Jake Stephens. Like Gueye, Stephens flashed impressive two-way ability all over the floor. He stretched his offensive range out to three-point land while protecting the paint as a defensive anchor on the other end.

Final shoutout goes to Matt Morgan. I watched him play high school ball at Cox Mill in Concord, North Carolina, and have always rooted for him. Cornell's all-time leading scorer has a chance to suit up for his hometown team in the Summer League and that's just a cool story. He got loose in the fourth quarter of tonight's game as well, making the people in his city proud.

More than any individual effort, Lee's ability to motivate his young is the story of the night. Charlotte has played lackluster Summer League basketball for some time now, and Lee's mentatlity shift changed that from the jump of tonight's action. In all, it was a super impressive effort for Charlotte. Lee had his young Hornets buzzing, which bodes well for his (and the team's) future.

Read more about the Charlotte Hornets

Hornets Waive Bertans, McGowens and Pokuševski

Miles Bridges Re-Signs with Hornets

When Does the Hornets Window to Win Open?

Published |Modified
Matt Alquiza
MATT ALQUIZA

Home/Gameday