Leaky Black to the Hornets

​Last week, the former North Carolina forward and Cabarrus County native, Leaky Black, signed a two-way contract with the Charlotte Hornets. ​

Two-way contracts are a relatively new type of contract that was introduced to the NBA in the 2017 off-season. According to nba.com, NBA teams may have up to two players under NBA two-way contracts who may be active for up to 50 games with their NBA team. Players signed to a two-way contract are paid one salary for their time in the NBA and the NBA G-League. 

Statistically, you will not find anything particularly spectacular on Leaky. During his long tenure with the Carolina Tar Heels, he earned a reputation as an elite defender. Leaky earned ACC All-Defense honors twice, and before the 2022-‘23 season, was in the running for the Julius Erving award, which is given to the top small forward in D1 hoops. Furthermore, he was the runner-up for the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. 

While Leaky may not be the flashiest or most exciting player on the court, he is a proven asset through his defensive play. We had said before Leaky would continue playing basketball after his time at Carolina and developing his game to a point where he could end up full-time on an NBA roster.

It may take some time, but the G-League is an excellent opportunity for any young player, and having a two-way contract, makes the deal that much sweeter. On top of this, he’s playing close to his hometown of Concord, North Carolina, and you can bet the proximity to home will bring in fans.