ROOKIE
Hornets guard joins Chet Holmgren and more NBA standouts at open gym
Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James was recently seen honing his skills at an open gym run filled with current and former NBA players
Mack BaltesRookie Wire
Aug. 9, 2026, 1:00 p.m. ET
- Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James played in all 82 games during his rookie season.
- James struggled with offensive efficiency, shooting just 37.1% from the field.
- He is working on improving his finishing at the rim during the offseason.
- James was recently seen practicing with other NBA players, including Chet Holmgren and Jared McCain.
Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James had a solid rookie campaign, earning his way into the Hornets rotation as a second-round pick out of Duke. James impressed with his defense and durability, appearing in all 82 of Charlotte’s regular season games
However, James was one of the league’s least efficient rotation players when it came to finishing at the rim. James shot just 40.4% on 2-point attempts and 37.1% from the field. For that reason, James has been developing as a finisher this summer. In a recent video posted to social media, James was seen scoring around the basket at a PLYRS UNTD run with many other current and former NBA players
James was working well with the Oklahoma City Thunder duo of Chet Holmgren and Jared McCain. The team also featured a former Charlotte Hornets center, Frank Kaminsky, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. Danny Wolf (Brooklyn Nets), Luka Garza (Boston Celtics) and Ty Jerome (Memphis Grizzlies) were also present
