Hornets Select Hannes Steinbach With 14th Overall Pick

Elite rebounding with a soft interior scoring touch gives Charlotte a clear route to play him early while the team’s frontcourt stays unsettled.

Overview

The Charlotte Hornets used the No. 14 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to select 20-year-old Hannes Steinbach from Washington.
Steinbach averaged 18.5 points and led the nation with 11.8 rebounds per game in his 2025–26 season at Washington, earning All‑Big Ten third-team honors.
Scouts praise his rebounding and touch around the rim, noting he is likely to contribute on the glass and finish efficiently inside at the next level.
Analysts call his outside shooting a work in progress despite a 18-of-53 three-point mark at Washington and describe him as a defensive 'tweener who is not a traditional rim protector nor a switchable perimeter defender.
Charlotte’s frontcourt uncertainty — including Miles Bridges being a trade candidate and Brandon Miller recovering from shoulder surgery — could open early minutes for Steinbach, and he said Dirk Nowitzki advised him to 'enjoy the process' before the draft.