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Charlotte Hornets rookie Bryce McGowens showed flashes of excellence in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, but struggled with inconsistency.

Bryce McGowens showed in NBA Summer League that he could be the Hornets’ most impactful second round pick in team history — if he can get over the inconsistencies.

Charlotte finished the NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas with an 89-86 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. The Hornets went 2-3, showing flashes of solid basketball in wins against the Lakers and Cavaliers, but struggled from the field in their defeats. McGowens earned the most minutes of any other Hornet and was also the leading scorer of those that played all five games, averaging 14.6 points per outing.

Yet, with some high scoring flashes of his own, the second rounder fell short with providing positive offense every night.

McGowens comes with an ability to score from inside and out, judging from what he showed as an offensive threat in college. When it comes to the Hornets’ second round selections, the former Nebraska Cornhusker is the most anticipated — and maybe the most talented — in the organization’s history, and the urgency to get him developed is present given how much he played in Las Vegas. McGowens played an average of 30 minutes per game, which was more than even the 15th overall pick Mark Williams.

In his summer league debut against the Pacers, McGowens did what he is known for, scoring a team high 17 points on 6-of-13 from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. He hit a couple of pull up threes and finished a nifty and-one, showing offensive versatility in the Hornets’ 96-84 loss.

Two nights later, the tables turned as McGowens went 2-of-14 with eight points in an overtime win against the Lakers. He made his only two shots and committed early turnovers in the first half, then went ice cold in the second, missing six consecutive attempts.

McGowens followed that with his best game against Cleveland, in which he exploded for 24 points on 70% shooting and five three-pointers. He was by far the best player on the court, taking over on the offensive end and taking advantage of what the Cavs were giving him defensively — pulling the trigger when they played off and driving to the basket when defended tightly.

Inconsistency woes hit McGowens again in the Hornets final two outings against the Bulls and Timberwolves as he shot 22% and 30%, respectively, from the floor. In the final summer league game, McGowens had some glaring blunders, throwing the ball away while in the air and getting the final, potential game-tying shot blocked by the Timberwolves’ Josh Minott.

Rollercoaster performances are not new for McGowens. At Nebraska, he always made an impact in the points column, but efficiency wasn’t where it needed to be on a nightly basis — which can be concerning considering an NBA regular season is an 82-game marathon and each game can affect a team’s playoff chances.

Fortunately for McGowens and the Hornets, there is plenty of time to fine tune. Building consistency in shot-making, cutting down on turnovers and becoming more defensively sound will make him more ready for a significant role alongside LaMelo Ball in a potentially explosive backcourt or more realistically, coming off the bench for an offensive spark. What McGowens has shown this summer is confidence even when things aren’t going his way, and with more time to settle into NBA speed and expectations, he could be steal for the Hornets.

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