The Charlotte Hornets have released center Ibou Badji, as announced by the team’s PR department in a tweet.
Badji appeared in just one preseason game for Charlotte this month. Before that, he played in 22 NBA games during the 2023/24 season while on a two-way contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.
In those appearances, he averaged 1.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 10.3 minutes per game.
Aside from his stint in Portland, Badji has spent the rest of his professional career either in the G League or overseas in Spain. Most recently, he played for La Laguna Tenerife in Liga ACB, Spain’s highest-level basketball league.
He moved overseas in the spring after suiting up for 50 games with the Wisconsin Herd during the 2024/25 G League season.
The seven-footer from Senegal made a strong defensive impact with the Herd, averaging 6.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and a standout 3.5 blocks in 22.4 minutes per game, which helped him earn a spot on the NBAGL All-Defensive Team.
In August, the Greensboro Swarm acquired Badji’s returning player rights from Wisconsin, indicating that the plan was for him to eventually join Charlotte’s G League affiliate.
If he clears waivers and reports to the Swarm, he would be eligible to receive a bonus of $85,300 by spending at least 60 days with the team.
Hornets Waive Center Ibou Badji https://t.co/GDitNj4Bje pic.twitter.com/6VRK78fwAF
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) October 15, 2025
