The Charlotte Hornets are a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Hornets were first established in 1988 and played in Charlotte from 1988 to 2002 before relocating to New Orleans due to dissatisfaction with the team’s arena. In 2004, Charlotte was awarded a new expansion team named the Bobcats which debuted in the 2004–05 NBA season. In May 2013, the New Orleans franchise announced it would rebrand itself the New Orleans Pelicans effective with the 2013–14 season, ultimately returning the Hornets name, records, and official history to Charlotte. The name change became official on May 20, 2013.
Original Charlotte Hornets (1988–2002)
The original Charlotte Hornets franchise was established in 1988 by George Shinn and partners. After considering several names, including Spirit, Blues, and even the Rhinos, they settled on Hornets inspired by the revolutionary battles fought in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina during the Revolutionary War.
The team debuted in the 1988–89 season playing their home games at the Charlotte Coliseum. They were successful from the start, finishing their inaugural season with a record of 20-62 and selling out 364 of 378 home games. Alonzo Mourning was drafted by the Hornets with the 2nd pick in the 1992 NBA draft and later led the team to its greatest success, but was traded to the Miami Heat in 1995 after conflicts with teammates and team management.
The Hornets remained competitive throughout the late 1990s, with stars like Glen Rice, Anthony Mason, and Eddie Jones. They became playoff regulars, even winning the first two playoff series in franchise history against the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks in 1993. However, the team’s attendance began falling dramatically in 1997 and they failed to make the playoffs after the 2001–02 season.
Relocation to New Orleans
In 2001, the Hornets and the Vancouver Grizzlies applied for relocation to Memphis, Tennessee and Norfolk, Virginia respectively. The Grizzlies were granted permission to move, but the Hornets’ request was denied by the NBA. Struggling financially, owner George Shinn began talks with the city about a new arena, but the proposals failed to move forward quickly. In 2002, he agreed to sell the team to a group in New Orleans.
The relocated New Orleans Hornets debuted in the 2002-03 NBA season with high expectations but finished with a lackluster 47-35 record. They managed to reach the playoffs in three seasons between 2004 and 2007 but failed to advance past the second round each time.
Charlotte Bobcats (2004–2014)
Two years after the Hornets relocated, the NBA awarded Charlotte an expansion team for the 2004-05 season. Robert L. Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television, was the franchise’s new owner. The team was named the Bobcats after the feline species indigenous to North Carolina.
The Bobcats struggled mightily in their early years in the NBA, finishing no better than 4th in their division for their first nine seasons. Some highlights included their first playoff berth in franchise history in 2010 under new head coach Larry Brown, and the 2012 draft which netted them future star Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
In March 2010, it was reported that Johnson was looking to sell the franchise. In February 2011, Jordan officially became the owner of the Bobcats. In his first full season as owner in 2011–12, the Bobcats posted the worst record in NBA history at 7–59.
Return of the Hornets (2013–present)
In January 2013, it was reported that the New Orleans Hornets were changing their name to the New Orleans Pelicans effective at the end of the 2012–13 season. Charlotte subsequently regained the Hornets name effective May 20, 2013.
The Hornets made the playoffs in just their second season back in Charlotte in the 2015-16 season. After a few years of mediocrity, the team returned to the playoffs under new coach James Borrego in 2019. The Hornets had their most successful season since reestablishment in 2020-21, going 33-39 and losing to the Indiana Pacers in the play-in tournament.
Ownership History
Here is a summary of the various owners of the Charlotte NBA franchise over the years:
Owner | Tenure |
---|---|
George Shinn | 1988–2002 (Original Hornets) |
Ray Wooldridge | 2002-2003 (New Orleans Hornets) |
Gary Chouest | 2003-2012 (New Orleans Hornets) |
Tom Benson | 2012-2018 (New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans) |
Robert L. Johnson | 2004-2010 (Bobcats) |
Michael Jordan | 2010-Present (Bobcats/Hornets) |
Michael Jordan has been the majority owner of the Hornets franchise since 2010 when he purchased it from Bob Johnson. Jordan is a six-time NBA champion and fifth all-time leading scorer in league history. He is also the former president of basketball operations for the Washington Wizards.
Jordan paid approximately $175 million for a controlling interest in the team. As part of the deal, Johnson maintained a minority share in the franchise. Jordan actively participates in team operations and has the final say in all basketball decisions.
In his role, Jordan has reshaped the franchise’s basketball operations. He hired Rich Cho as general manager and later Mitch Kupchak. He has also frequently made his presence felt at games and practices encouraging players.
Despite once owning a small share of the Washington Wizards, the Hornets were the first NBA franchise Jordan became the majority owner of. It fulfilled his long-held goal of owning a team in his home state of North Carolina.
Charlotte Hornets Presidents and Executives
Here are some of the key executives who have helped manage Charlotte’s NBA franchise over the years:
Name | Title | Tenure |
---|---|---|
Carl Scheer | General Manager | 1988–1990 (Hornets) |
Bob Bass | General Manager | 1990–1992 (Hornets) |
Allan Bristow | General Manager | 1992–1996 (Hornets) |
Bob Bass | General Manager | 1996–1998 (Hornets) |
Bob Bass | Vice President of Basketball Operations | 2004–2007 (Bobcats) |
Rod Higgins | President of Basketball Operations | 2007–2012 (Bobcats) |
Rich Cho | General Manager | 2011–2018 (Bobcats/Hornets) |
Mitch Kupchak | President of Basketball Operations | 2018–Present (Hornets) |
As owner, Michael Jordan makes the final call on all major front office and personnel decisions. But he has delegated day-to-day management of basketball operations to a series of talented executives over the years.
Rod Higgins and Rich Cho were the primary decision makers in charge of roster building and talent evaluation during the Bobcats era. Since taking over, Mitch Kupchak has pulled the strings for the front office as President of Basketball Operations.
Conclusion
Michael Jordan has been the controlling owner of the Charlotte NBA franchise since 2010 when he purchased the Bobcats. The team underwent a name change back to the original Hornets in 2013.
Jordan is the first former NBA player to become a majority owner of an NBA team. He is also the only owner in NBA history to serve as the public face of team ownership despite having partners with minority stakes.
The Hornets have yet to find great success under Jordan’s leadership, but the organization appears headed in the right direction. With Jordan’s competitive drive and basketball expertise, he will surely look to build the Hornets into consistent contenders in the Eastern Conference.