The Charlotte Hornets weren’t only evaluating their incoming rookies during NBA Summer League – they were also closely monitoring the progress of last year’s draft class.
According to The Charlotte Observer, the coaching staff assigned specific development goals to Liam McNeeley, Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrenner throughout the team’s five games in Las Vegas.
McNeeley was given greater responsibility as the primary ball-handler and playmaker, while James also spent time running the offense as Charlotte continues searching for a dependable backup point guard behind Coby White.
Summer League head coach Blaine Mueller praised McNeeley’s growth on both ends of the floor, particularly his defensive improvement.
“Obviously (McNeeley’s) been our primary creator and his ability to score the ball at all three levels has done a great job on that end of the floor,” Mueller said. “But I’d highlight, too, his defensive effort, particularly against New Orleans. He had some incredible one-on-one possessions in terms of understanding guys’ driving tendencies and what he needs to do from a technique standpoint.”
Meanwhile, Kalkbrenner was asked to expand his offensive game by creating from the post while also taking on a larger leadership role defensively.
The center consistently communicated coverages and anchored the Hornets’ defense throughout Summer League.
“Another guy who’s protecting the rim, adjusting between coverages pretty, pretty frequently,” Mueller said. “Obviously, want to see him around the rim with more force. I think we’ve seen that, too. Had a couple finishes in traffic and-ones. Stuff where he’s a little bit more physical, a little bit more on balance, understanding what he needs to do around the rim when he’s in traffic.”
Hornets Notes: McNeeley, James, Kalkbrenner, Steinbach, Salaun, Ajayi https://t.co/GL7hqosV1b
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) July 19, 2026
