Charlotte Hornets First Basket Stats 2025-26: Who Scores First
Brandon Miller scored the Hornets’ first basket more than anyone in 2025-26: 25 times in 67 starts, or 37% of the games they started. LaMelo Ball was next with 17. The Hornets made the game’s first field goal in 51% of their 84 games and won 41% of their opening tipoffs. Everything below is counted from the play-by-play of every 2025-26 game (1,225 regular season, 85 playoffs, 6 play-in).
Who scored the first basket for the Hornets in 2025-26
First basket for team is the first field goal by any CHA player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for CHA | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Miller | 67 | 25 | 37% | 13 | 19% |
| LaMelo Ball | 71 | 17 | 24% | 10 | 14% |
| Kon Knueppel | 82 | 16 | 20% | 10 | 12% |
| Moussa Diabate | 49 | 9 | 18% | 4 | 8% |
| Miles Bridges | 79 | 6 | 8% | 2 | 3% |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | 31 | 6 | 19% | 2 | 6% |
| Collin Sexton | 12 | 3 | 25% | 1 | 8% |
| Mason Plumlee | 2 | 1 | 50% | 1 | 50% |
| Sion James | 19 | 1 | 5% | 0 | 0% |
How often the Hornets scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 84 | 43 | 51% |
| Home | 42 | 22 | 52% |
| Away | 42 | 21 | 50% |
| Regular season | 82 | 42 | 51% |
| Play-in | 2 | 1 | 50% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moussa Diabate | 49 | 18 | 37% |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | 30 | 13 | 43% |
| PJ Hall | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| Mason Plumlee | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Team | 82 | 34 | 41% |
How the Hornets’ first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 3-pointer | 30 | 36% |
| Layup | 21 | 25% |
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 17 | 20% |
| Dunk | 16 | 19% |
2024-25
| Player | Starts | First basket for CHA | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Bridges | 64 | 14 | 22% | 11 | 17% |
| Mark Williams | 41 | 12 | 29% | 7 | 17% |
| Josh Green | 67 | 11 | 16% | 5 | 7% |
| LaMelo Ball | 47 | 9 | 19% | 4 | 9% |
| Nick Smith Jr. | 27 | 7 | 26% | 2 | 7% |
| Brandon Miller | 27 | 6 | 22% | 2 | 7% |
| Jusuf Nurkic | 9 | 4 | 44% | 4 | 44% |
| Seth Curry | 14 | 4 | 29% | 3 | 21% |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Hornets?
Brandon Miller, with 25 of the Hornets’ first baskets in 2025-26 (37% of their 67 starts), ahead of LaMelo Ball with 17.
How often do the Hornets score first?
The Hornets made the first field goal in 43 of 84 games in 2025-26 (51%): 52% at home and 50% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Hornets?
Moussa Diabate took 49 of the Hornets’ 82 opening tips in 2025-26 and won 37% of them.
Is Brandon Miller a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 37% of starts is worth a bet only when a book prices them below that, after adjusting for tonight’s lineup and opponent. Our models make that comparison every 30 minutes for every NBA game; see NBA first basket picks.
Source: NBA play-by-play and box scores, 2025-26. Updated October 13, 2026. See the NBA first basket leaders for every team, or all stats.