Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford has insisted that Lance Stephenson is not a star yet and is struggling to live up to external expectations.

Stephenson is averaging 9.7 points on 36.9% shooting from the field, which is down from his numbers with the Indiana Pacers last season, but his 8.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists are team highs.

"To be fair, one of the things that's made it more difficult for him is that he came here and people proclaimed him as the next superstar," Clifford told reporters.

"He's not a star. He's a guy that has talent to become a star. To be a star in this league, you have to do it over years."

Stephenson has seen his minutes fall in recent games but he insists that he has to work harder in practice to get back his coach's faith.