For years, the Hornets have had a lot of extremely talented players, but they've faced one main problem - they just don't have anyone who matches up with the Freaks of the league that every contender seems to have these days - the Tatums, Lebrons, Kawhi, Giannis, etc. That 6 foot 7 plus guy who can do it all on both ends of the floor plus is a true world class athlete at that size. It's sort of like a mid-major team playing against Duke. Yeah, they'll have a ton of kids who are just as skilled as duke. But they'll all be about two inches shorter, and also they wont have that guy who can throw down poster dunks in transition like a pro baller.

Salaun fills that gap. He has the sauce you just cant teach - a really, really, big dude with really fluid hips that has really good hand eye coordination. His dribbling is awful, but anyone can practice dribbling drills, it's a pretty repetitive activity. What is a lot harder to learn, however, is being able to throw yourself forward and upward, in stride, with body control, catch the ball in midair and yam it. This even applies to normal people. Every group of casual hoopers who's been playing together for a while knows that some guys will never be able to hit a lefty layup even after playing pickup for half a decade, while some guys can hit a through the legs layup even though soccer is their main sport.

Salaun has this coordination talent in spades. I saw some of his two handed alley oops where he caught the ball with it fully above the square on the backboard and his elbows up around there as well. Easy 34 plus inch vert off two which is great for a big guy. He also has some plays where he really hits a one handed scoop layup through traffic off one foot at high speed. Again, those type of complete movements, you either have that ability at a big size or you just dont. Giannis showed the exact same flashes at 18. Yeah he was raw as heck but he was absolutely enormous with that god given ability to track the ball while running at a full sprint. Finally, Salaun is also both a two foot and a one foot jumper at a very high level which is somewhat rare and I take as a sign of natural coordination.

And the kids shot? Pure pure pure. Very high release with a super efficient movement. Again, at age 18, this is already just something you either have or you dont from muscle memory. I also think players that are generally more naturally analytical and approach basketball from a more intellectual mindset rather than just "yeah I'm nice with it" are more likely to develop a prettier shot as well, because they've probably actually taken the time to watch tutorials online or listen to their coach rather than just do what works so that's another good sign.

I don't think I'm the world's best GM but I am a big believer in the eye test - and I thought Miller and Melo both passed these on draft day and they turned out great, while I hated Kaminsky from day one just due to how lame he looked on the court and I turned out to be mostly right so far. Salaun has that X-Factor where he just has some crazy highlights. Kid is just built like a big time NBA prospect - giant limbs, big shoulders. Hornets made the exact right pick and this kid's development will blow people's socks off, mark my words. He's actually super tough for an 18 year old and had some really dominating rebounds and dunks on grown men in a very good French league playoff run. He's basically a way way way more fluid MPJ.

Edit - Didn't quite mean that he's gonna end up rated 97 overall in 2k or whatever like Giannis is. But I did mean he has a lot of the same reasons to indicate he has very high potential for a young relatively unknown international player and will end up as a high level starter.

Edit 2: Pulling out the receipts to defend his finishing potential. The entire sequence from 2:20 to 3:00 in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7s3jIw5FXc&t=250s&ab_channel=HoopIntellect

shows a range of elite level finishing potential. Especially watch he gets the ball at a full stop on the far end of the floor at 2:48 and has the ball places accurately and under control inches from the basket release by 2:52. There's absolutely no reason to think that blow by won't be effective against NBA defenders at his size. "He's 7 feet he just has to run and jump lol"

Edit 3 : Watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qVRZCsf5ls&ab_channel=FrankieVision of Giannis at roughly the same age playing against roughly the same competition. Except for maybe that fastball outlet pass to the left corner at the start if you squint he really does look a bit similar to Salaun on a lot of plays in terms of size, build and height, and at 9 points a game averaging the same stats against worse competition.

Edit 4:

1:12 in this clip of Salaun is also nice, bro could get looks at Bama as a TE. His defender, #11, knows where the ball is going the whole play he just gets dusted. Also 1:40, blow by in between two defenders, no look hand swipe on the trailing defender, then switch hand and super high release with 4 defenders miles below him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Us91SUo9G4&ab_channel=CollegeBasketballScouting