After trading Mark Williams to the Phoenix Suns, the Charlotte Hornets were bound to make a corresponding move to shore up their center rotation. That move came via the 34th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Ryan Kalkbrenner, a hulking center from Creighton University that fills a need for Charles Lee's Hornets.
The four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year is one of this draft classes' most impactful rim deterrents. Kalkbrenner put up gaudy block numbers in college, but his massive frame makes a difference even when he's not making a massive statistical impact.