Season stats: 2025-26. Updated 7 h ago.
Ryan Kalkbrenner Heads Into Year Two With Hornets Healthy and Ready
newsroom · 54 min agoRyan Kalkbrenner enters his second NBA season with the Charlotte Hornets after playing 69 games as a rookie in 2025-26. He is not on the injury report. The 7-1 center out of Creighton is set to build on a rookie year built around efficient finishing and rebounding.
Where Things Stand
Ryan Kalkbrenner opens the 2026-27 season with the Charlotte Hornets, the only NBA team he has played for. The 24-year-old center, listed at 7-1 and 256 pounds, wears No. 11. He is not on the injury report heading into the year. Kalkbrenner came out of Creighton and finished his first NBA season with the Hornets in 2025-26. There is no game log yet for the new season, so the picture right now is built entirely on his rookie body of work and his clean bill of health going into training camp.
Rookie Season by the Numbers
In 2025-26, Kalkbrenner appeared in 69 games for Charlotte, averaging 21.4 minutes per night. He put up 7.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, with 0.8 assists, 0.5 steals and 1.5 blocks. He turned the ball over just 0.9 times per game. His shooting was efficient: 75.3 percent from the field, 71.6 percent from the free-throw line, and a true shooting percentage of 76.2. He did not attempt threes at a meaningful clip, posting 0.0 percent from deep. His usage rate sat at 11.3, and his plus-minus was 0.7 for the season.
Health Report
Kalkbrenner is not on the injury report as the Hornets get set for 2026-27. There is no injury history on file for him. Combined with his 69 games played last season, that points to a center who has been available and durable through his rookie year. For a young big man still building his role, staying on the floor is the first box to check, and right now there is nothing flagging him as a concern.
What to Watch Ahead
With training camp approaching, Kalkbrenner's rookie-year profile gives the Hornets a clear baseline: a rim-running, high-efficiency center who protected the rim at a solid clip (1.5 blocks per game) while staying error-free on offense (0.9 turnovers per game). His 21.4 minutes per game last season suggest a rotation role rather than a full starter's workload. The opener for the 2026-27 season is coming, and how Charlotte manages his minutes and role will be the first thing to track once games tip off.
Questions fans ask
What team does Ryan Kalkbrenner play for?
He plays center for the Charlotte Hornets, wearing No. 11.
Is Ryan Kalkbrenner injured?
No. He is not on the injury report and has no injury history on file.
What were Ryan Kalkbrenner's stats last season?
In 2025-26, he averaged 7.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.5 steals and 1.5 blocks in 21.4 minutes across 69 games, shooting 75.3 percent from the field and 71.6 percent from the line.
How efficient was Kalkbrenner as a rookie?
Very efficient: he posted a 76.2 true shooting percentage last season, driven by 75.3 percent shooting from the field.
What college did Ryan Kalkbrenner play for?
He played at Creighton before joining the Hornets.
How much does Ryan Kalkbrenner play?
He averaged 21.4 minutes per game last season across 69 appearances.
Game log
last 0| Date | Opp | Result | Min | Pts | Reb | Ast | FG | 3P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No games logged yet this season. | |||||||||