'Tough as nails' Cody Zeller is Charlotte's center of the future
The biggest name on Charlotte's roster is center Al Jefferson, a splendid low-post craftsman who's currently nursing an injured calf and serving a five-game suspension for violating the NBA's drug policy.
But, as good as Jefferson is, the Hornets' Cody Zeller might be the better man for the job. Zeller is a superior fit in the modern game. He's faster, can shoot from the outside, is more athletic and quicker on dives to the rim.
Here's why his teammates love playing with him, per The Charlotte Observer:
As a starting center, Zeller is averaging an efficient 13 points per game, grabbing rebounds and holding his own as a team and man defender. With Jefferson's contract up at the end of the year, there's a really good chance the Hornets let him walk, then commit to Zeller on a long-term basis.
Perhaps the Hornet best suited to gauge Zeller’s development is the team’s starter at power forward, Marvin Williams. “The thing about Cody, no matter what his matchup is, he’s going to give 100 percent. It’s always fun to compete with those type of guys,” Williams said. “Cody hasn’t said one (negative) word about playing center. When Al went down he just went in and played. That’s a testament to what he is – tough as nails.”
