Hornets select Grant Riller with No. 56 pick
With the No. 56 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets have selected Charleston guard Grant Riller.
Riller spent five years with the Cougars after a knee injury forced him to redshirt in what would have been his freshman season. Despite the long-term absence, Riller eventually broke out as a sophomore in 2017-18, averaging 18.6 points on 39.4% shooting from three and helping Charleston make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999.
The 23-year-old put up near-identical levels of offensive production, at 21.9 points per game, during his junior and senior years, and he became the first and only Charleston player to record a triple-double in the latter season. The Florida native added 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per contest in his final campaign and received All-CAA First Team honors for the third time.
Bio
Position: PG/SG
School: Charleston
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 190 lbs
Wingspan: 6-foot-5
Max vertical: 39.5 inches
Strengths
- Efficient scorer that can create his own shot, even when isolated.
- Uses his handles and speed well out of pick-and-rolls to open up driving opportunities.
- Keeps sagging defenders honest with reliable pull-up jumper in the midrange.
- Fantastic finisher at the rim.
Weaknesses
- Not a great facilitator despite shouldering offensive load.
- Can get caught out defensively at times but has room to improve.
- Prone to bad decisions when pressured by defense; his 97 turnovers were tied for second in the conference last season.
- Much older than most draft prospects due to 5 years in college.