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- The Charlotte Hornets aren't the most popular franchise in the NBA. They're relatively new compared to teams like the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, and they're one of just seven NBA teams to have never even made it to an NBA finals. In the 2022-23 season, they finished with a 27-55 W-L record, making them one of the worst-performing teams in the league today.
The Charlotte Hornets have a unique history blending together franchise histories, joining the NBA until that name crossed over to the New Orleans Hornets. NBA management placed a new franchise in Charlotte with the Bobcats to have that history merge with the old Hornets, before the team once again became the Charlotte Hornets.
The Bobcats leaving Charlotte allowed the franchise to go back to being called the Hornets. The best talents to spend time in Charlotte delivered strong results to have a historic presence in the organization. Each of the following names deserves to stand above the rest in the entire official history of the Hornets franchise.
UPDATE: 2023/10/12 18:00 EST BY LIZZY FLANAGAN
The Charlotte Hornets aren't the most popular franchise in the NBA. They're relatively new compared to teams like the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, and they're one of just seven NBA teams to have never even made it to an NBA finals. In the 2022-23 season, they finished with a 27-55 W-L record, making them one of the worst-performing teams in the league today.
Though the Hornets are often overlooked, the franchise has had some impressive players on its roster over the years. They also have some exceptional young players who can hopefully help elevate the franchise to the next level within the next few years.
13 Al Jefferson
Jefferson played for the Hornets from 2013 to 2016. He was an incredibly valuable asset to the Hornets during his brief tenure with the franchise; he averaged 17.5 points per game and provided exceptional rebounding ability. Jefferson's career in Charlotte also saw the rebranding of the franchise from the Bobcats to the Hornets, making him one of few men to wear both names on his jersey.
12 Jamal Mashburn
Not only was Jamal Mashburn an exceptional scorer and versatile player for the Hornets, but he also has one of the best nicknames in NBA history: Monster Mash.
Monster Mash played with the Hornets for four years, from 2000 to 2004. He averaged 20.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, which helped him earn a spot at the NBA All-Star game in 2003.
11 Kendall Gill
Kendall Gill is a bit of a sleeper pick for this list. He's often not heralded as an all-time great in the franchise, but he was exceptional on the court and deserves a share of recognition.
Gill joined the Hornets in 1993. He was an incredibly well-rounded player, boasting a mix of athleticism and physical size. Gill played 5 seasons with the Hornets, averaging 14.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.
10 LaMelo Ball
The short career of LaMelo Ball has only seen him around for a few seasons, but he’s made a greater impact than most. LaMelo changed the culture of the Charlotte Hornets feeling like a dead-end team by becoming the face of the franchise.
Small successes like making his first All-Star appearance and leading the Hornets to multiple play-in games are part of his legacy so far. Time will see Ball easily moving up the list, but he’s already contributed enough to squeeze into the top ten.
9 Eddie Jones
Eddie Jones only spent two seasons with the Charlotte Hornets, but he had arguably his best run in the league during that time. The 1999 lockout season saw Jones making the All-Star team in his only chance there and even made an All-NBA team for the only time in his career.
Kobe Bryant emerging as a star was the main reason the Los Angeles Lakers traded Jones to Charlotte in exchange for the better fit of Glen Rice. Jones used the Hornets tenure to rebuild his name value and injected some excitement into the franchise.
8 Baron Davis
Baron Davis started to break out for the Charlotte Hornets in their final years before moving to New Orleans. Both tenures featured various levels of success, but Davis made his first All-Star appearance representing Charlotte.
The team leaving was disappointing most to fans that were falling in love with Baron as the face of their franchise. Davis doesn’t get as much love these days compared to his peers from the early 2000s, but he was a relevant upper-echelon point guard.
7 Muggsy Bogues
The Charlotte Hornets allowed Muggsy Bogues to become a huge part of their franchise for almost a full decade. Bogues was never an All-Star or all-NBA player, but some pundits and players viewed him as the heart of the Hornets.
The 5’3’’ height didn’t prevent Muggsy from having a successful NBA career as a starting point guard. Bogues averaged 8.8 points and 8.8 assists per game, but the long run as a fan favorite makes him a huge part of Charlotte’s NBA history.
6 Gerald Wallace
The Charlotte Bobcats tenure of the franchise’s history, unfortunately, has a mostly negative history. Gerald Wallace is one of the few players to make a noteworthy impact for the Bobcats, especially during an unexpected winning season.
The sole All-Star appearance and all-defensive team selection for Wallace came during his peak season with the Bobcats. A total of seven seasons in Charlotte saw Wallace putting up his best career numbers of 16.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game.
5 Dell Curry
Dell Curry was never a superstar player like his son Stephen Curry, but he found an ideal situation as a Charlotte Hornets role player. The three-point shooting of Dell saw him excelling at part of the game that wasn’t as common back then.
A Sixth Man of the Year Award was the biggest accomplishment of Dell’s career. However, he held a record as the Hornets' leading franchise scorer until Kemba Walker broke it after multiple decades. Dell is still part of the Charlotte world as a broadcaster for Hornets games.
4 Larry Johnson
The NBA career of Larry Johnson is quite underrated since injuries caused him to fall off faster than expected. However, Johnson showed that he was among the better players at his position during the five seasons with the Charlotte Hornets.
An impressive average of 19.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game made Johnson a pivotal part of Charlotte’s core. Larry made his only two All-Star appearances and received his sole all-NBA selection for the Hornets. A trade to the New York Knicks saw Johnson becoming a role player with the injuries limiting him.
3 Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Mourning only spent three seasons with the Charlotte Hornets after getting drafted there, but he was arguably the most impactful player in franchise history. The shorter stint saw Mourning averaging 21.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game.
Mourning made his first two All-Star appearances for Charlotte before making a move to join the Miami Heat. Contract disagreements forced the trade where Mourning grew into an even better player for the Heat, but he still remains higher on the all-time Hornets list.
2 Glen Rice
Few players used the three-point shot to their advantage as much as Glen Rice did during his stint with the Charlotte Hornets. Rice averaged an impressive 23.5 points per game during his three seasons in Charlotte while shooting 44% from three-point range.
The Hornets saw Rice making the All-Star team every season for them and even shockingly winning the 1997 All-Star Game MVP. The only two all-NBA selections of Rice’s career came during the time in Charlotte which was the peak of his NBA time.
1 Kemba Walker
Kemba Walker getting drafted during the Charlotte Bobcats' time and being the franchise’s top star when going back to the Hornets' name showed him dominating in multiple eras. Charlotte fans loved Walker as the top player for the team and one of the better point guards in the league.
Three All-Star appearances and one all-NBA selection during his Hornets time is no small feat given the level of point guard play in his era. Walker has the all-time franchise scoring record in Charlotte and averaged a great 19.8 points and 5.5 assists during his entire career there.
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