Established
1988
City
Charlotte – New Orleans
League History
1988 – Present / National Basketball Association
Team History
2013 – Present / New Orleans Pelicans
2007 – 2013 / New Orleans Hornets
2005 – 2007 / New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets
2002 – 2005 / New Orleans Hornets
1988 – 2002 / Charlotte Hornets
Nickname
Hornets – The Charlotte Hornets of the NBA have had a long and storied history since their inception in 1988. The team has undergone several name changes over the years, but one thing that has remained constant is their nickname: the Hornets. But where did this nickname come from? In this blog post, we’ll examine how it originated and why it stuck with fans for many years.
In 1987, George Shinn and his ownership group announced that Spirit would be the nickname of Charlotte's prospective expansion franchise. Most fans voiced their displeasure, and it didn't help that some fans associated the nickname with the PTL Club, a Charlotte-based evangelical Christian television program that was the subject of an investigative report by the newspaper Charlotte Observer for its fundraising activities. Shinn decided to sponsor a name-the-team contest and had fans vote on six finalists. More than 9000 ballots were cast and Hornets won by a landslide, beating out Knights, Cougars, Spirit, Crowns, and Stars. Afterward, Shinn noted that the nickname had some historical significance; during the Revolutionary War, a British commander, Lord Cornwallis, reportedly referred to the area around Charlotte as a "hornet’s nest of rebellion."
To further embrace its namesake, Charlotte unveiled logo designs featuring images of hornet nests surrounded by basketballs during its inaugural season; however, these were later changed due to copyright issues surrounding another company that owned similar imagery rights at the time. Nevertheless, despite having different logos throughout its tenure (including ones depicting actual hornet insects), "Hornets" remains synonymous with basketball in North Carolina today – even after changing names twice more before relocating following the 2002 season!
The name change may have been necessary for business reasons, but there is no denying that “Charlotte Hornets” will always be remembered fondly by those who lived through those days when purple & teal ruled supreme!
Championship
NBA Championships 0
Arena
2014 – Present / Smoothie King Center
2002 – 2013 / New Orleans Arena
*Oklahoma City*
2005 – 2007 / Ford Center
*Norman*
2006 / Lloyd Noble Center
*Baton Rouge*
2005 / Pete Maravich Assembly Center
*Charlotte*
1988 – 2002 / Charlotte Coliseum
Owner
2018 – Present / Gayle Benson
2012 – 2018 / Tom Benson
2010 – 2012 / National Basketball Association
2007 – 2010 / Shinn and Gary Chouest
1988 – 2007 / George Shinn
- 1988
- 1991
- 2002
-
Charlotte Hornets Team Formation
After the NBA’s growth in popularity, expansion was only natural, and the city of Charlotte was only a natural site for one of the four new teams that would begin play over a two year period. Carolina had once been home to a popular ABA team known as the Cougars, and a hotbed for College talent with four major universities ... -
Number 1 Pick – Larry Johnson
With the first pick in the 1991 NBA draft, the Hornets drafted power forward Larry Johnson from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Johnson had an impact season, finishing among the league leaders in points and rebounds, and winning the 1992 NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Additionally, Guard Kendall Gill led the club in scoring, averaging over 20 points ... -
Move to New Orleans
The Hornets’ popularity with the city of Charlotte began to wane during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Many attributed this lapse in popularity to the team’s owner, George Shinn, who was slowly becoming despised by the people of the city. In 1997, a Charlotte woman claimed that Shinn had raped her, and the resulting trial severely tarnished his reputation ...
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Hornets
It's been an exciting time for the Charlotte Hornets, known as New Orleans Hornets, and their fans as they make the move to New Orleans. After spending nearly two decades in North Carolina, the team is set to join a new city with a rich basketball history. The NBA has long had teams in both cities, but this marks the first time a franchise will be relocated from one city to another since 2008 when Seattle’s SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City and became known as The Thunder.
The Hornets have had some success in Charlotte, including making it all way to back-to-back playoff appearances during the 2014 & 2015 seasons under then-head coach Steve Clifford who James Borrego later replaced after the 2017 season. They also made headlines last year when point guard Kemba Walker signed with Boston Celtics, leaving behind his legacy of having played 11 seasons for an organization which included being selected All-Star 3 times along with earning several accolades such as getting named 1st Team All-NBA 2018 & 2019.
While this transition may bring about some changes, many aspects of what makes them unique will remain intact - like their iconic teal uniforms! Additionally, they'll continue playing at Smoothie King Center, where they've hosted games since 2002, so fans can expect the same level of energy atmosphere while cheering on favorite players like Miles Bridges or Devonte Graham, who recently won the Most Improved Player award in the 2020 season respectively.
With relocation comes opportunity: not only does this give fans something fresh and exciting, but it also provides a chance for the organization itself to grow even further due to its proximity to other major markets within the southeast region United States which could potentially attract more sponsorships revenue streams down the line if done right! Ultimately, the decision was made in the best interest of both sides involved (Charlotte/New Orleans), so here’s hoping everyone finds success throughout the journey ahead.
Sports Fan Products
Retired Number
7 / “Pistol” Pete Maravich
13 / Bobby Phills
*Blue is this team’s history