Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner was one of the players who exhausted their college eligibility before entering the NBA draft. The 7-foot-1 center played five seasons for the Bluejays and was the premier center in the Big East and the nation.

In 169 games, he averaged 14.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting a tremendous 65.8% from the field and made 70.9% of his free-throw attempts.

His defensive prowess earned him four Big East Defensive Player of the Year awards and he was chosen as this year’s winner of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Naismith DPOY and NABC DPOY awards. Kalkbrenner was also selected as a Second-team All-American by USBWA and NABC and Third-team All-American by the Associated Press and The Sporting News.

The big man was predicted to be a late first-round to early second-round draft choice and the Charlotte Hornets picked Kalkbrenner as the fourth pick in the second round of the NBA draft, or No. 34 overall.

Ryan Kalkbrenner brings rim protection and long-range shooting to the Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets are happy to have a skilled center like Ryan Kalkbrenner falling into their laps on Day 2 of the 2025 NBA draft.

Kalkbrenner knows how to react to pick-and-roll plays, score easily in the paint and protect the rim on defense. His well-decorated defensive resume will be tested in the NBA, as big men will force their way into the rim and challenge the last line of defense.

Kalkbrenner has a 7-foot-6-inch wingspan that would play a big difference in rim protection, but the question is, will he be able to guard perimeter-happy centers?

Unlike other big men, Kalkbrenner relies on teammates’ help to get his offense going. He doesn’t force his will on the paint and is an above-average rebounder in college. However, he can shoot from beyond the perimeter, as he was a career 31.1% shooter at Creighton.

The situation in Charlotte’s center spot will favor the Creighton big man, especially with Mark Williams getting shipped to Phoenix.

Kalkbrenner is expected to battle with former Michigan slotman Moussa Dioubate as backup for projected starter Jusuf Nurkic in the Hornets’ big man position. He’ll be favored to get the backup spot over Dioubate and could get called occasionally to the starting role if Nurkic gets injured.

Will Ryan Kalkbrenner play for the Charlotte Hornets this season or get traded to another team? Let us know your insights in the comments section.