HORNETS VENOM GT RETAINS ZAEYA “ZAE” ISHAK, JUSTIN “SNUBBY” STEMERMAN AND ALEX “EXPOSE” WHELAN

September 29, 2020 – Hornets Venom GT, the official NBA 2K League affiliate of the Charlotte Hornets, announced today that the team has retained Zaeya “Zae” Ishak, Justin “Snubby” Stemerman and Alex “Expose” Whelan for the 2021 NBA 2K League season.

A member of the 2020 NBA 2K League All-Rookie Team, Zaeya “Zae” Ishak was selected by Hornets Venom GT with the 19th overall pick in the 2020 NBA 2K League Draft.  As a rookie, he averaged 13.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks in 38 regular-season games, while shooting 52.7% from the field and 48.3% from the three-point line.  Zae set the franchise record of 21 rebounds in a game on June 24 against Pacers Gaming.

Justin “Snubby” Stemerman joined Hornets Venom GT as the 18th overall pick in the 2020 NBA 2K League Draft.  He finished his rookie season ranked 19th in the league in scoring at 24.1 points per game, to go with 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals.  In 38 regular-season games, Snubby shot 56.0% from the field and 40.1% from the three-point line.  He scored a franchise single-game high 44 points against Hawks Talon GC on July 28

Alex “Expose” Whelan was selected by Hornets Venom GT with the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NBA 2K League Draft. In 38 regular-season games as a rookie, he averaged 14.4 points, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals.  He made a team-high 66 three-point field goals, shooting 52.0% from the three-point line and 55.6% from the field overall.

Hornets Venom GT went 9-7 in its inaugural NBA 2K League season in 2020 and made the quarterfinals of the NBA 2K League Playoffs delivered by DoorDash.