What happened: Hannes Steinbach was selected 14th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets. Dirk Nowitzki, the fellow German great, marked the moment with a personal message, tying the milestone back to Steinbach's roots playing alongside his father in Germany.

Why it matters: Steinbach becomes the latest German prospect to reach the NBA in the lineage Nowitzki helped build, and a lottery selection puts immediate developmental expectations on a Hornets frontcourt looking for long-term answers. The endorsement from one of the league's defining international stars adds weight to Charlotte's bet on the young forward.

What to watch: Watch how Charlotte slots Steinbach into its rotation heading into the 2026-27 season and whether he factors into Summer League minutes.