Charlotte NBA Franchise Charts 20-Year Path from Bobcats to Hornets
Professional basketball came back to Charlotte in 2004 with the Bobcats. The new team stepped in to fill the gap when the original Hornets left for New Orleans two years before.
Breaking new ground in American sports, Robert L. Johnson became the first African American majority owner. Michael Jordan jumped in with a small stake in 2006, before taking over the whole franchise four years later.
The past twenty years saw ups and downs on the court. Despite making the playoffs three times under Larry Brown’s coaching, wins were hard to come by. Only Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson shined bright enough to get All-NBA honors.
Poor draft picks held the team back. They passed on future stars Chris Paul and LaMarcus Aldridge, picking Adam Morrison and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist instead. A botched trade in 2009 sent Emeka Okafor away for Tyson Chandler, but health concerns derailed the deal.
In 2014, they ditched the Bobcats name. Taking back the Hornet’s identity let Charlotte reclaim its basketball heritage from before 2002.
Drafting LaMelo Ball in 2020 brought fresh hope, though injuries have limited his success. A recent trade involving Mark Williams fell through, showing the team’s ongoing growing pains.
Since 2005, games have been played at what’s now called the Spectrum Center. The arena has gone through two name changes since its start as Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Now, twenty years after getting another shot at NBA success, the team focuses on building around its young talent. Past missteps serve as valuable lessons moving forward
