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Grant Williams on Tidjane Salaün's motor, immediate impact, and "special" potential

Matt Alquiza

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Tidjane Salaün's stock is soaring. The Charlotte Hornets first round draft pick from June has done pretty much everything right in the preseason. He's scored at least 11 points in all three games, showing a prowess from long range with 10 makes on 22 attempts. Salaün, only 19 years old, is still a long-term prospect, but the early returns on his performance are promising.

His teammates are taking notice. When asked about Salaün, Grant Williams waxed poetic about what the rookie brings to Charlotte.

"He's confident man. That's something you can't really teach. His energy, the same way with his motor, that's something that is just super valuable. He's a guy that I remember when he was drafted people said he's like three years away. He's raw, saying all that. People didn't realize how good of a shooter he is, and how confident he is with the ball in his hands. It's slowing down. The game is going to get slower for him and he's going to start seeing how much of an impact he can make on our team. Not just this year, but for years on. I think he's going to be really special, honestly. He works his tail off and he does a phenomenal job of just being a joy in the locker room every single day."

High praise from a veteran who has seen a ton of NBA basketball.

Williams touched on it, but Salaün's confidence with the ball in his hands is eye-popping. The rookie struggled to put the ball on the deck, but he's going to let shots fly when he gets a look. Some of those shots may be deemed ill-advised when regular season ball starts, but for now, Salaün has the greenest of green lights to get shots up from long-range as he develops in preseason action.

Folks projecting a big-time role for Salaün in 2024 should tap the breaks a tad, but the potential drips off the rookie every time he touches the floor. His long-term prospects are fantastic whether he contributes this season or not, and for an ascending Hornets franchise building for the future, Salaün looks like the perfect piece to build around.

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Matt Alquiza
MATT ALQUIZA

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