THE NBA Draft has wrapped up, and the next crop of players at the top level are now fully entrenched in their respective teams as the season approaches in the coming months.

In fact, with the Summer League kicking off earlier this week, the youngsters are now even hitting the court for the first time in an exciting injection of youth to the world’s biggest and best league.

Given the draft has concluded, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look at how each side fared on one of the biggest nights on the basketball calendar.

The next teams to dissect are the Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets, who added some quality talent on draft night with some clever selections.

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks still have a strong young core that should deliver some strong campaigns in the future, so the draft was an opportunity for to add to the team’s future.

With the 15th pick in the draft, Atlanta selected Kobe Bufkin from Michigan, who emerged as one of the best two-guards in the entire draft class. During his second season with the Timberwolves, Bufkin delivered a breakout season, which helped boost his draft stock. As a member of the Hawks, he should add mid-range shooting, secondary ball handling and a strong above the rim presence, while his shooting should improve as time goes on.

The Hawks also traded for Mouhamed Gueye, an athletic power forward who is more than capable of knocking down a jump shot, which was a smart selection given the team recently traded John Collins, given Gueye fills a lot of the holes left here.

With their 46th and final selection, the Hawks picked up Seth Lundy, a wing with a smooth shooting motion who can hurt the opposition from behind the arc.

Miami Heat

The Miami Heat had a remarkable playoff run in 2023, thriving with their collection of undrafted players. However, they returned to the draft with a sole selection, eager to build a list that can go one step further than a finals loss.

They selected Jaime Jaquez Jr. with the 18th pick, a combo forward who looks certain to impact at NBA level. He is a terrific contributor on the offensive end thanks to his ability to score in a number of scenarios including iso situations, while having a knack at drawing free throws and heading to the charity stripe. Jaquez Jr. should slot into the rotation nicely and make his mark at the top level.

Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets were one of the most intriguing teams coming into the draft, holding the second overall selection with a big decision to make.

The Hornets chose to add Brandon Miller to their list moving into the future, pairing the forward with star point guard Lamelo Ball. It was a battle of best player available against team fit, and the latter was prioritised.

Miller has the tools to become one of the stars of the competition with his scoring and secondary ball-handling skills making him a better combination with the pieces Charlotte already has than Scoot Henderson, who was widely viewed as the second-best prospect in the draft.