The "Big L" was drafted by the franchise as their first overall pick in 1991 and was clearly a cut above the rest as he landed the 1992 ROTY Award. Johnson, for his part, spent a few more seasons in Charlotte. In that short stint, Rice was able to set the franchise record as an all-time leader in minutes per game and points per game. In three seasons with the franchise, he made it to three-straight All-Star Game appearances and was even named the 1997 ASG MVP. Rice, who we'll rank 5th, came to Charlotte in 1995 and had an immediate impact. The Charlotte Hornets' dynamic duo of Glenn Rice and Larry Johnson make the list of the franchise's top five players. Silas's six seasons with the team also make him the longest-tenured head coach in franchise history, at least through 2021. In those six seasons, Silas garnered the most playoff wins in franchise history with a total of 11 on three postseason trips. His first three seasons were from 1999-2002, then he came back from 2010-2012. The three-time NBA champion as a player had two stints as the Hornets' head coach. 505 winning percentage.īut, the best coach in franchise history is none other than the iconic Paul Silas. After five seasons, Bristow owns the record of most regular-season wins in franchise history with 207 on a. He was responsible for bringing the Hornets to their first-ever trip to the playoffs as well as their first-ever series win in 1993. The former guard spent five seasons as the Hornets' head coach from 1991-1996. He ended his tenure with the Hornets with the second-most wins in franchise history with a 196-214 record.Īnother former coach worthy of mention is the legendary Allan Bristow. Clifford immediately brought Charlotte to the 2014 playoffs in his first season. Prior to his arrival, the team only won 28 games for the previous two seasons, but their fortunes quickly changed once the defensive-minded mentor arrived. For starters, there's former head coach Steve Clifford, who was at the helm from 2013-2018. There have been a handful of great mentors that have had the privilege of calling the shots as the Charlotte Hornets' head coach in the franchise's history. If the front office can acquire key veterans down the line, it won't be surprising if the Hornets climb to the top of the Eastern Conference sooner rather than later. If these young Hornets make it to the playoffs, no matter what the outcome is, that will certainly bode well for the future of the franchise with the young stars getting some much-needed experience and exposure. Gordon Hayward, who's just 30, is the team's oldest player, which says a lot about how young this team really is. Other young guys like PJ Washington, Malik Monk, and Miles Bridges are all just 22 years old while Devonte' Graham (25) and Terry Rozier (26) are already considered as the vets on the team. Spearheaded by rookie LaMelo Ball, who's just 19 years of age, Charlotte has an abundance of young talent that can definitely form a championship team eventually, given the right experience and tutelage. Not far behind them are the likes of Glen Rice, Alonzo Mourning, Baron Davis, and Dell Curry.Ĭurrently, the Charlotte Hornets' young core is slowly looking like they can be a contender in the Eastern Conference in the coming years. Probably the most memorable players in franchise history. The Hornets have a real stud in LaMelo, and he certainly has the makings of being this team's cornerstone superstar of the future. The 6-foot-6 point guard has taken the league by storm in his debut season and is currently the frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year award. Playing alongside Hayward are Terry Rozier (traded from the Boston Celtics as part of the Kemba Walker deal in 2019), Miles Bridges (12th pick in the 2018 draft), and Devonte' Graham (34th overall pick in the 2018 draft).Ĭharlotte struck gold in the 2020 NBA draft, as they used their second overall pick on LaMelo Ball. Charlotte paid the former All-Star $120 million for a four-year deal as he takes on the mantle of the team's go-to guy. Prior to the start of the 2020-21 campaign, the Hornets decided to splash the cash on free agent Gordon Hayward. The Hornets won just 23 games last season and were not invited to the Disney World bubble. Their last postseason appearance came during the 2015-16 season, and they have since been on the outside looking in. The Hornets are currently in a four-season playoff drought.
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