The Charlotte Hornets found a stroke of good luck during Thursday night's NBA Draft Lottery, landing the third overall pick, and bettering their chances in the draft order for the first time since 2004.
The Hornets have had notoriously bad luck in the Draft Lottery, and the team sorely misses the superstar caliber of a player like Kemba Walker. Walker was part of a sign-and-trade deal in 2019 that brought Terry Rozier to Charlotte from the Boston Celtics.
That bad luck may have changed Thursday night, but Hornets GM Mitch Kupchak still needs to execute almost perfectly if he expects to drastically change the landscape of the franchise.
Nick Wilson of WFNZ's Wilson & Parcell joined Bo Thompson Friday on WBT's Morning News and didn't hesitate to express his excitement.
"There is still such an undercurrent of Hornets fandom here, but it's just been beaten down by bad decisions... and to get the number three pick, it gives them opportunities," Wilson remarked.
Wilson confidently pointed to the new guard of Hornets management, saying "I think it's time. We need to trust Mitch Kupchak with this pick."
Thompson reminded Wilson that the organization has missed in the past with the number three overall pick, suggesting the Bobcats should've passed on Adam Morrison.
Wilson acknowledged the risk of pursuing a "high upside guy," and replied, "there's a lot of talent in this draft and a lot of opportunities to find the right guy, and the 'missing link...' for the first time in a long time."
Full conversation below.