CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Albeit microscopic, there’s a small part of Scoot Henderson that wouldn’t mind playing second fiddle to this year’s expected No. 1 overall pick.
While Henderson still badly wants to be the first player picked off the board on June 22 ahead of Victor Wembanyama, falling to No. 2 and the Charlotte Hornets isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If the Hornets select the G League Ignite standout, besides getting an opportunity to play alongside LaMelo Ball, Henderson can benefit in another glorious way: he’d be a hop, skip, and jump up I-85 from the place he grew up and adores so much.
Pondering the possibility made the Marietta, Ga., native beam.
“That’s dope,” Henderson said at the NBA scouting combine in Chicago. “I think I’d love being close to home, but I did well far from home as well. I was on the West Coast for two years with the Ignite (near Las Vegas), so I think I can do both. My family, I’ve got to pay a lot of respect to my family, just how much they do for me and all seven of us. If they had to, they would fly to New York. They will fly to wherever to see me and all my siblings.”
Trips to the Carolinas, though, would probably be a bit more frequent given the proximity to Georgia.
Transitioning to the Hornets, Henderson insists, could be seamless since he’s already somewhat familiar with their roster, including the star point guard. The prospect of playing with Ball and becoming an integral cog among Charlotte’s guards intrigues him.
“I watched so much basketball this year,” Henderson said. “I used to watch Dennis (Smith Jr.) all the time. Mark (Williams) — tough. We played Mark at the winter showcase ... I like his game a lot. Their wings, PJ (Washington).”
The 6-foot-3 Henderson seemed genuinely excited about the Hornets’ core, mirroring the Ignite’s feelings about him during the past two years. From the outside, Henderson appears to be a likable individual who’s improved in a variety of areas on and off the court in preparation for this moment.
Anthony McClish, the Ignite’s general manager, gushed about his interactions with the 19-year-old. He speaks of Henderson as if he were his own son.
“It’s been a pleasure to be around him, a privilege to be around him,” McClish said. “The growth, the wisdom that he took, the belief that he had in himself, the belief that he had in us to want the professional competition, to thrive in the professional competition, to always seek out opportunities and ways to improve his game. I’m going to miss being around him.
“But really looking forward to watching him, following him along in his career and seeing how he’s going to impact not only the team but the community.”
With the Ignite, Henderson became a walking highlight reel and his talents quickly drew comparisons to Russell Westbrook and Ja Morant. His decision to bypass his senior year of high school and ink a two-year, $1 million contract in 2021 with the Ignite looks like a brilliant move.
Especially considering he’s a lock for a top-three selection next month. It’s been quite the ride for Henderson, who also participated in the NBA’s Rising Stars Challenge at each of the past two all-star weekends.
“He charted himself an unprecedented path,” McClish said, “and whenever you do that, you are taking on some risks and you are showing a belief in yourself that I think really materialized for him and paid off, and will pay off in a continued way. He’s been an awesome ambassador for the program. And he’ll do the same thing for whatever NBA team he goes to.”
The main question centering around Henderson when it comes to the Hornets stems from his position. He’s a point guard by nature, a playmaker who enjoys having the ball in his hands. So, there’s uncertainty where he may fit in the same backcourt as Ball and if they can co-exist.
But not to McClish. He’s already quite convinced Henderson would flourish if teamed with another point guard.
“I think the thing that gives me confidence that he can do that is he’s already done it, right?” McClish said. “His first year with us, he came off the bench. He did that really well. He then started games and he was able to score, he was able to create for himself. He was able to make the game easier for other players. He can get to the rim, he can create, he’s a bigger guard so he can take contact, he can dish, he can score.
“Anybody with that type of talent — not only with that talent but with the mentality to continue to get better and study the game — I think you can put a variety of players around him if they shared that same mentality and have it play well.”
Henderson’s reach extends beyond the hardwood. McClish lauded his character, too.
“He’s going to be loved by coaches, he’s going to be loved by teammates, he’s going to be loved by fans and youth in the community,” McClish said. “He’s uplifted our building. He’s been our beacon of what we want to have as an example, in terms of our values and carrying a program.”
In just under a month, Henderson will know whether his family will be motoring up and down I-85, heading to catch a glimpse of him in a Hornets’ uniform on the Spectrum Center court. He’s salivating knowing he’s this close to repaying them for all those years they believed in his dream, determined to help him succeed.
As Henderson awaits his fate, he has learned to lean on someone else who’s pretty well-informed about Charlotte: Golden State star and Davidson grad Steph Curry.
“His advice was to just to enjoy the moment,” Henderson said. “You can see that in Steph, how he enjoys the moment and how he smiles through the games. His mentorship is really a relationship we are building. He’s opening doors for me and hopefully I’m opening the doors for him as well.
“I see how he has his family business and how everything is kind of close. And that’s what I want to build. I want to build an empire with my family as well. So, I’m just seeing how he’s doing it and he’s giving me little tips here and there.”
