Hornets’ Bryce McGowens is hitting the dreaded rookie wall. He has to crash through it

Wanting to offer congratulations, Mark Williams picked up his iPhone and dialed up his fellow rookie teammate for a quick video conference session.

Bryce McGowens could barely utter a friendly greeting on the other end before Williams quickly let him know the precise reason for the impromptu conversation.

“I Facetimed him and I said dinner is on him,” the Charlotte Hornets center said. “Nah, it’s definitely great for him. Obviously, he’s been working hard all year. So for him to get that is great.”

McGowens’ two-way contract officially got converted into a four-year, $7.4 million deal earlier in the week, representing one of the few highlights for the Hornets of late in a season that mercifully has only 17 games remaining after Friday night’s 117-106 loss to Orlando at Spectrum Center — a defeat that owner Michael Jordan witnessed firsthand while seated at the end of the team’s bench.

The man who cuts the checks couldn’t completely bring the Hornets (20-45) out of their malaise against the Magic, an indicator of just how tough things may be for Charlotte over the season’s remaining five weeks. But Jordan’s moral encouragement didn’t go unnoticed.

“Just seeing him back on the bench with us and his presence being there, I feel like that gets everyone engaged to another level,” McGowens said. “Whether that’s the fans, players, coaches … I feel like that brings energy, seeing a guy of his caliber and everybody knows he is.

“So, to be on the bench, that means a lot to us that he’s come to support us, and coaching us, and talking to us and talking to the refs. He sees that everybody is engaged. So, we’ve just got to build on that and continue to fight.”

Games like these are supposed to be tailor made for the Hornets’ younger players, McGowens included. With LaMelo Ball done for the season following Wednesday’s ankle surgery and Cody Martin missing his 21st straight game, sitting out their loss to Orlando to conclude a four-game homestand, McGowens is on tap to receive more critical on-court minutes that should aid in his development. He logged 15:01 against the Magic, posting a point and five rebounds, and did have a nice steal that led to an uncontested fastbreak dunk by Kai Jones.

But McGowens’ shot was way off target and he misfired badly on two of his three attempts, leading to him hitting their practice court to hoist jumpers following their performance against Orlando. That outing came on the heels of Wednesday’s performance against Phoenix, when he totaled a modest three points and two rebounds in 14:52.

His assertiveness and impact isn’t the same as it was when he flourished in the Hornets’ four games prior to the All-Star break.

“I think he’s hit the wall a little bit,” coach Steve Clifford said. “I talked to him about it today. I think that’s part of being an NBA player, and he’s got to play through it. The other night (versus Phoenix) in the second half, he was very good. In the first half, he’s playing tired. He’s got to get past that. (But) I’m really excited about him. This is a great opportunity for him.”

And McGowens knows he can’t squander it.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s the rookie wall,” he said. “I would say it’s just getting back to the basics and the stretch that I had in midseason, just getting back to that, staying confident. I feel like these past couple of games it wasn’t there and I feel that.

“So, (it’s) just getting that back, just being able to take care of my body, and learn, and grow, and be able to take mistakes and grow from them. And when I make a mistake, don’t hold my head on it.”

There’s only one way to crash through the dreaded rookie wall: headfirst.

“Throw him in the ice tub,” Kelly Oubre said. “That’s what comes with it. You’d rather see what that feels like in your rookie year than go through your whole rookie year, and your second year you finally hit that wall and it’s way worse.

“So, he’ll get through it. He’s still young. He still has a lot to learn and grow from, but he’ll take what he’s learning right now and carry it through his whole career because it will be crucial.”

Even with his recent struggles, the Hornets’ second-round pick in last June’s draft has turned out to be a nice surprise in an otherwise mostly forgettable campaign for the Hornets. He outplayed the two-way contract he signed in July, spending much less time in Greensboro with the G League’s Swarm than anticipated, and got rewarded earlier in the week for his unexpected rapid improvement.

Long-term project? Well, not exactly.

“Listen, he has a chance to be very good,” Clifford said. “People say, ‘Down the road.’ He has size, he can play off the dribble. He’s a better shooter than I think people realize and he’s a better defender than people give him credit for. He’s a sponge and a hard worker.”

These days, with the Hornets essentially being locked into finishing among the league’s bottom four teams record-wise barring a miraculous run, the educational advancement of their younger players like McGowens takes center stage. He has to find ways to correctly utilize his positional size and put his high basketball IQ to work.

It’s why the coaching staff tries to constantly relay informational nuggets to the 20-year-old, offering up pointers to bring McGowens’ attention to the smaller details that wind up being huge in the long run.

“I feel like everything is a learning experience,” McGowens said, “everything is an opportunity to get better and learn and grow from past experiences. So, I just feel like it’s just continuing to get back to the basics and work, and everything else will be fine.”

If McGowens can execute that plan, it may have him digging into his pockets soon, coughing up a few coins to foot the bill when Williams comes calling for fancy steak dinner or something that doesn’t quite fit the inexpensive label.

“Mark, that’s my guy,” McGowens said. “We came in together and we are still going to be here together and look to build with each other and continue to grow. He’s been my dog since Day One. Just seeing him learn and grow, too, it’s something to look at too — two rookies that push each other in any way.

“When I’m not playing, I’m trying to be his biggest fan because we came in together.”