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Hornets select Noah Vonleh with the No. 9 pick in 2014 NBA Draft

Mike Carter / USA Today Sports

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The Charlotte Hornets selected Indiana power forward Noah Vonleh with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft on Thursday night.

And with that, the Hornets may have drafted the most physically imposing player in the class, as Vonleh is a specimen. With a 7-foot-4-plus wingpsan, a 9-foot standing reach, and the largest hands in the draft, Vonleh has the makings of a defensive force, something he flashed in the Big Ten this past season.

Vonleh is just as enticing offensively, having shot 48.5 percent from long range as a freshman. He's not that terrific a shooter, of course, but he should help as a floor-spacing big right away, especially if teams find a more consistent role for him than the Hoosiers did (he averaged only 11.3 points despite robust shooting).

It may require a bit of patience, as Vonleh is still only 18 and was underused last year, but there's a non-zero chance he ends up as the best four from the draft.

Vonleh offers the Hornets a great compliment to Al Jefferson. Vonleh likes to play away from the basket, while Jefferson can be a force down low for the team. Slipping down from his top five projection, he could go down as a steal for the Hornets.

He'll also bring some freakishly large hands to Charlotte with him.

That isn't he hand of an ordinary man he's being compared to. That's former NBAer Jay Williams. Those hands are HUGE.

You can read more about Vonleh in our scouting report.

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