NBA’s Charlotte Hornets sign one player from KU Jayhawks, another from Kansas State

Former University of Kansas combo guard Marcus Garrett and former Kansas State forward Keyontae Johnson have signed free agent contracts with the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, the team announced Wednesday .

Terms of the deals were not disclosed by Hornets president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson.

The Charlotte Observer indicated both players had agreed to Exhibit 10 contracts which are one-year non-guaranteed deals that could place them on the roster of the Greensboro (North Carolina) Swarm, the Hornets’ G League affiliate.

According to hoopsrumors.com, an Exhibit 10 contract puts a player in line to receive bonuses worth up to $77,500 if they are waived by the Hornets, then spend at least 60 days with the G League’s Swarm. Exhibit 10 contracts can also be converted to two-way contracts before the first game of the season. Charlotte has one two-way slot open. The player that receives the team’s final 2-way will earn $560,000 during the 2024-25 campaign.

Garrett, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound Dallas native who played for KU from 2017 to 2021, appeared in 36 contests (30 starts) with the Swarm in 2023-24, averaging 10.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.8 steals in 30.9 minutes per game.

The 25-year-old Garrett averaged 8.5 points and 3.8 rebounds in four games (one start) with the Hornets in the NBA 2K25 Summer League in July in Las Vegas.

Garrett’s experience as a pro includes spending two seasons with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Miami Heat’s G League affiliate, and 12 games with the Heat in the 2021-22 season. Garrett at KU was named 2019-20 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. He was part of KU’s 2018 Final Four team.

Johnson, a 6-4, 240-pound 24-year-old native of Norfolk, Virginia who played at K-State one season (2022-23), averaged 19.7 points on 53.1% shooting (40.4% from 3) and 6.2 rebounds in 38 games (38 starts) last season with the Oklahoma City Blue, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s G League affiliate. The Blue won the G League title.

Johnson was named all-Big 12 First Team and third-team All-America his final collegiate season after leading the Wildcats to the Elite Eight.

The Hornets also signed guard Caleb McConnell and center Joel Soriano on Wednesday.