New Orleans Pelicans: Top 10 NBA Draft in franchise history

9. Hilton Armstrong (C) — No. 12 pick in 2006 NBA Draft

Career stats (with the Hornets, 2006-10):  209 GP, 3.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 51.3 FG%, 0.0 3P%, 60.5 FT%

Hilton Armstrong was a late lottery pick that didn’t fully pan out. He came into the league after averaging 9.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game in his senior season at Connecticut. Armstrong won the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award for his efforts.

However, he wasn’t able to carry that over to his NBA career. In his first two years, Armstrong averaged 2.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per game. He averaged 11.3 minutes per game over that span.

Armstrong’s biggest opportunity for production was the 2008-09 season, his third. Starting center Tyson Chandler played only 45 games that year, dealing with injuries and a failed trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

In turn, Armstrong played 70 games, starting 29 of them, and averaged 15.6 minutes per game. He managed to average only 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.6 blocks per game in this larger role.

Armstrong made it 18 games into the 2009-10 season before his time with the franchise ended. On Jan. 11, 2010, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings for cash and a 2016 second round pick. However, he didn’t remain with the Kings for long.

On Feb. 18, 2010, he was a part of a three-team trade between the Kings, Houston Rockets and New York Knicks. Armstrong was sent to the Rockets. Tracy McGrady, Kevin Martin and Larry Hughes were other names included in the deal.

From there, Armstrong would set out on a journeyman career that continues to this day. Last season, he joined Japanese club Chiba Jets. He averaged 10.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game over 60 games. He remains in Japan, starting the 2017-18 season with the Ryukyu Golden Kings.

Hilton Armstrong started his NBA career as an athletic, defensive-minded prospect. While it didn’t work out in the NBA, his skills allowed him to carve out a professional basketball career.