All Hornets

Charlotte takes down the Chinese National Team in California Classic Summer League Action

Matt Alquiza

Photo via @Hornets on X.
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The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Chinese National Team 93 to 62 in Sunday night's NBA California Classic Summer League action.

Much like Saturday night's win against the San Antonio Spurs, the effort and spirit showed by the Hornets was the story of the evening. Charles Lee's boys were up to the task early and often diving for loose balls, picking up Chinese ball handlers full-court, and running the floor in transition from the opening tip. He's only head coached two games, two summer league games at that, but if Lee has the varsity Hornets playing like this in October, Charlotte is going to quickly vault up people's League Pass rankings next season.

As a whole, the game was ugly. Charlotte blitzed China in the first quarter running up a 26-9 lead, but buckets were hard to come by after that. The second and third quarters felt like an early Thursday afternoon tip-off NCAA tournament game where a 15-seed hangs around with a 2-seed longer than the favorite would be comfortable with. Charlotte ended up pulling away, but China proved they were up to the task after their sluggish start.

Individually, Bryce McGowens impressed. After a disappointing Saturday night effort, McGowens was sure to not fall flat a second time. The third-year guard relentlessly attacked the basket, shooting 14 free throws on his way to a 20 point evening. There were clear deficiencies in his game, notably his lack of variety in putting the ball on the floor, but it was good to see McGowens assert himself in a setting where he is one of the more seasoned players on the court.

Nick Smith Jr. was impressive again. Operating as the team's lead ball handler (alongside Zavier Simpson), Smith showed his full bag of tricks off the dribble. He left multiple Chinese defenders in his wake with a flurry of dribble moves on his way to lay-ups and flashy passes. The flashiest of which can be seen below. Dare I say, a LaMelo Ball-esque dime out of Smith Jr.?

Smith Jr. dazzled with his handle and scoring ability, but the young guard still has a long way to go on defense. Too often in these first two games Smith Jr. got lost guarding ball handlers coming off screens allowing open looks for Charlotte's opponents. The former Razorback isn't on an NBA roster to lock down opponents, but he'll become a target for opposing offenses if he doesn't sharpen up on that side of the floor.

Jake Stephens showed flashes of brilliance for the second night in a row. In a league where bigs are gaining prominence again, a team can never have too many seven-footers in their system. Stephens' ability to protect the paint, knock down jumpers, and make (simple) plays in the short roll make him a useful prospect. He spent last season with the Wizards' G-League team (the Capital City Go-Go), but it wouldn't be a shock to see him spend some time in Greensboro this winter.

Leaky Black has struggled with his jumper (1-4 on three-point attempts tonight), but his two-way impact can not be overstated. He was a handful on defense and the glass, hustling to make the winning plays the box score fails to recognize.

Sadly, the darling of Charlotte's first Summer League contest, Mouhamadou Gueye, left the game early with an ankle injury. He failed to score, but his pterodactyl wingspan racked up a block and an assist in his quick six minutes of action.

Shoutout to Malik Hall, Drew Pember, Charles Pride, Kevin Cross Jr., and Pedro Bradshaw. After not seeing any action in game one, those five ended the game on the floor as Lee emptied his bench in a blow out. Like every Hornet who preceeded them, the final five for Charlotte fought to the final whistle.

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Matt Alquiza
MATT ALQUIZA

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