Tidjane Salaun's Grit Is Starting to Pay Off in Charlotte
Last season, Tidjane Salaun looked more like a long-term project than a polished NBA player. His rookie campaign was filled with multiple growing pains that included shooting slumps and defensive lapses that left many questioning if Charlotte's sixth overall pick was ready for the big stage. Now, just months later, the tone around the French forward is starting to shift.
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'He's working hard, working hard on his body,' Hornets assistant coach Chris Jent said. 'He's going to bring the intensity.'
And that intensity is exactly what Charlotte fans have been desperate to see.
Raw, But Not Done
Statistically, Salaun's rookie season was a struggle. His 41.7% effective field goal percentage and 56% shooting at the rim ranked near the bottom of the league, according to Cleaning the Glass. His block and steal rates, which ranked in the fifth and 29th percentile respectively, did little to change the perception that he wasn't ready for NBA speed or strength.
But Charlotte didn't draft Salaun for his rookie numbers, they drafted him for his ceiling.
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Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (31) drives in as he is defended by Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) during the second half at the Spectrum Center.@Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images
A Summer of Transformation
With a full offseason under head coach Charles Lee, Salaun is attacking the game, and his body differently. Focused on strength and conditioning work, defensive communication drills, and situational film study have become daily rituals.
'Tidjane just has to not want everything now,' Jent added. 'Let the game come to him.'
It will be interesting to see if that message begins to resonate. Early reports from one-on-one workouts say Salaun has added noticeable upper-body strength, and continues to work on attacking the rim. There's still a long way to go, but the game no longer seems too fast for him.
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The Long View
What Hornets fans saw in 2024-25 was a young man thrown into chaos. With injuries to key rotation players and no clear system in place, Salaun was asked to do too much, too soon.
Now, he's being developed the way he should have been from day one, with patience. The goal was never instant stardom. It was to mold a raw, fiery teenager into a two-way weapon.
If this summer is any indication, that vision is still alive, and gaining momentum.
Related: Charlotte Hornets Turn Heads with Offseason Moves
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
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