WESTWEGO, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Hornets have selected Kansas center Cole Aldrich with the No. 11 pick in the NBA draft.
The 6-foot-11, 245-pound Aldrich averaged 11.3 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.5 blocks last season as a junior for the Jayhawks and was one of 14 players the Hornets worked out at their suburban training headquarters in the past week.
New Orleans finished last season 35-47, missing the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. Although New Orleans has a deep backcourt, they need help in the frontcourt to bolster a defense that ranked 20th in the league in points allowed at 102.7.
The Hornets enter next season with a first-time head coach in Monty Williams, who at 38 is the youngest coach in the NBA.
