The Charlotte Hornets are just 3-7 on the season and have lost three straight games as they navigate injuries to both LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, but not all has been bad in Charlotte.

In fact, the Hornets have plenty of reason for hope, and it's thanks to an impressive rookie class that has been rather surprising thus far during the 2025-26 NBA campaign.

Perhaps the most eye-opening first-year player of all has been Ryan Kalkbrenner, a second-round pick who is averaging 9.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks over 27.3 minutes per game while shooting a blistering 81.3 percent from the floor thus far.

Bleacher Report's Dan Favale has listed Kalkbrenner among a group of five rookies that look like NBA Draft steals in the early stages of the season, and deservedly so.

"Ryan Kalkbrenner is holding it down at the 5," Favale wrote. "He isn't just Charlotte's most-used center. He's third on the team in total minutes. The defense is hovering around league average when he's on the floor—a minor miracle largely made possible by Kalkbrenner's active hands and stellar rim protection. Just three players have contested more total looks at the basket. Opponents are also shooting 9.2 percentage points worse when challenged by him inside six feet. That dip is right in line with those from Evan Mobley (9.5) and Victor Wembanyama (10.0)."

The fact that a rookie who wasn't even a first-round selection is making such a significant impact defensively is shocking, to say the least, but that is exactly what Kalkbrenner has done.

The Hornets traded away Jusuf Nurkic away over the summer, which had many wondering just what Charlotte's center rotation would look like this year.

Well, Kalkbrenner has started all nine games in which he has played thus far and is displaying that he may very well be the answer down low for the Hornets.

Could Kalkbrenner's offensive repertoire use some work? Absolutely, but worst-case scenario, he could be a defensive anchor who merely scores off of lobs and putbacks on the offensive end. In today's game, that is very valuable.

It should be noted that the seven-footer did shoot the 3-ball a little bit at Creighton, draining 34.4 percent of is three-point tries on 1.7 attempts per game last season. So maybe there is hope for him to develop as a perimeter threat?