How a call from ‘MJ’ helped Hornets’ Bouknight have his best game of Summer League
The text message didn’t come long after the Charlotte Hornets’ 80-70 loss to the Sacramento Kings Monday night in Las Vegas.
Rookie James Bouknight said he was being interviewed by media when Michael Jordan, the team’s owner, texted him.
“He told me to give him a call,” Bouknight told media members Wednesday.
Bouknight had just finished with 11 points on 4-for-11 shooting. He also had five turnovers, and had been outplayed by Kings rookie Davion Mitchell, the ninth overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft.
“That second game I just wasn’t myself,” Bouknight said. “At times, I was selfish. Wasn’t really sharing the ball. I was lackadaisical. I wasn’t really playing with that New York swag and that type of confidence I usually play with.”
Bouknight declined to say specifically what Jordan told him, adding that he wanted to keep it confidential. But he said Jordan helped diagnose his game, and pointed out a few of the things he did wrong. He said the call lasted about five to 10 minutes.
“Not many 20-year-olds, first year in the league, can say that the best player ever to touch the basketball is calling them and helping, giving them pointers,” Bouknight said. “So I took that to heart and I took that personal and did my best to have a good game.”
The call from Jordan worked.
Bouknight put on a performance Wednesday night in a close 106-105 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. He scored 23 points, including the then-go-ahead shot with less than 10 seconds remaining. But Spurs’ point guard Tre Jones matched him with a game-winning layup.
The Hornets drafted Bouknight 11th overall in last month’s draft out of the University of Connecticut. There, the 6-foot-5, 190-pound shooting guard was known for his scoring ability. He averaged 18.7 points per game as a sophomore. And in his Summer League debut Sunday, he dropped a team-high 18 points.
But Wednesday night, he showed he could also make plays for his teammates, too. Along with his 23 points, he dished out eight assists without turning the ball over.
Bouknight is expected to play a key role for the Hornets next season. His ability to create his own shot, as well as facilitate opportunities for his teammates can help him earn minutes and stay on the floor longer next season.
Hornets Summer League coach Dutch Gaitley said Bouknight’s improvement from Game 2 to Game 3 was a big step in his development. He said the key for Bouknight will be to carry that over into their game Saturday against the Toronto Raptors.
“I think that call he got from MJ is something that will definitely help him these next two games,” he said.
This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 7:59 PM with the headline "How a call from ‘MJ’ helped Hornets’ Bouknight have his best game of Summer League."
