(CHARLOTTE SPORTS LIVE) — After taking a French big man in the first round, the Charlotte Hornets drafted a guard from Colorado with their second-round pick Thursday.
KJ Simpson was the 42nd pick in the NBA Draft after averaging 19.7 points per game as a junior last season with Colorado. A first-team all-conference selection, he led the high-octane Buffaloes in scoring and assists, guiding them to third-place in the Pac-12 and advanced the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
His difficult baseline jumper from the baseline with 2 seconds left lifted Colorado over Florida in an overtime thriller in the first round of the tournament.
The 6-foot-2 guard shot was lethal from the 3-point line, shooting 48 percent from the field, and 45 percent from beyond the arc. His 4.9 assists were second in the conference.
As a sophomore in 2022-23, Simpson led Colorado in assists (111) and steals average (1.5 per game).
Under a new regime, the Hornets selected Tidjane Salaun with the sixth overall pick Wednesday.