Cody Zeller has signed a four-year, $56 million contract with the Charlotte Hornets.
He is currently in his fourth season with the Hornets after being selected fourth overall in the 2013 draft.
The Washington Ind. native has improved statistically every year since coming into the league. He has averaged 7.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 21.5 minutes per game in four years with the Hornets. The 7-foot Zeller started 60 games last season for the Hornets and averaged a career-high 8.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
He is splitting time at center this season with Roy Hibbert, who was signed as a free agent in the offseason.
Had Charlotte not signed Zeller, he would have become a restricted free agent after the season.
General manager Rich Cho called Zeller a high character guy who plays both ends of the floor, and says he considers him a "big part" of the team's core group.
Zeller scored more than 1,000 points and had more than 500 rebounds during his two years at IU. He left after his sophomore year to join the NBA draft.