Hornets grab Hannes Steinbach, Christian Anderson in 2026 NBA draft

Roderick Boone, The Charlotte Observer on Jun 23, 2026

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hannes Steinbach is a member of the Charlotte Hornets.

The Hornets made the University of Washington product the No. 14 overall selection in the NBA draft at Barclays Center in New York on Tuesday night.

Steinbach led the nation with 22 double-doubles with 22, placing him one shy of matching Jon Brockman’s single-season school record at Washington. A native of Würzburg, he settled in nicely in his one season with the Huskies. Steinbach paced Washington, averaging 18.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals in 30 appearances.

He’s adept at screening, which would allow him to flourish in a two-man game with Hornets star guard LaMelo Ball, can put the ball on the floor and also shoot. He sank 57.7% of his overall attempts and canned 34% from 3-point range.

Steinbach’s measurables are also impressive. At the NBA Combine in Chicago in May, he checked in at 6-foot-10, 248 pounds. He has a 7-foot-2 wingspan and a standing reach of 9 feet.

Steinbach fits the profile of what Jeff Peterson, Charlotte’s president of basketball operations, alluded to after the season. Peterson noted the Hornets were in need of a boost in physicality, which became even more evident following their loss to the Orlando Magic in the play-in tournament.

That’s become even more of a necessity now that the Hornets have to contend with a tall tandem of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo four times a season following the expected completion of the blockbuster trade sending Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat from the Milwaukee Bucks.

So adding size is a priority for the Hornets and Steinbach will do just that to Charlotte’s frontline.The Hornets also selected Texas Tech's Christian Anderson Jr. with the No. 18 pick.

That’s the gist of the Hornets’ 2026 draft unless Jeff Peterson, the president of basketball operations, makes a trade. The Hornets don’t have a second-round pick after sending their 2026 selection to the Miami Heat, resolving a dispute with the Terry Rozier trade given the FBI’s investigation into the alleged gambling incident that occurred during Rozier’s time with Charlotte.

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