Charlotte Hornets: Five things you need to know

• Young core led by LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel
• The Charlotte Hornets won the 2025 Summer League Competition
• Seeking first playoff series win since original Hornets era core led by LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller

The Charlotte Hornets are the NBA’s 24th franchise, joining the NBA as part of an expansion in 1988. The Charlotte Hornets represent the state of North Carolina, playing a significant role in preserving a culture filled with rich history and basketball glory. The Hornets are a young and hopeful team who are expected to challenge for playoff positions in 2025.

Key Details

• Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
• Year Founded: 1988 (Original), 2004 (Reestablished)
• Home Arena: Spectrum Center
• Championships: 0
• Major Rivals: Miami Heat; Atlanta Hawks; and Washington Wizards

2024-25 NBA Season Summary

• Record: 19-63
• Finish: 14th seed
• All-Star Selections: None

Offseason Moves

Re-signing: Tre Mann agrees to 3-year deal

Ins: Pat Connaughton joins via trade with Bucks; Spencer Dinwiddie agrees to 1-year deal; Mason Plumlee agrees to 1-year deal; and Collin Sexton joins via trade with Jazz

Outs: Vasilije Micić departs via trade with Bucks; Jusuf Nurkić departs via trade with Jazz; Josh Okogie waived; and Mark Williams departs via trade with Suns

After a poor 2024-25 season filled with serious injuries and blow outs, the Charlotte Hornets offseason has provided fans with renewed optimism. By drafting Duke forward Kon Knueppel with the 4th pick and adding NBA proven pieces to the roster, the Charlotte Hornets are building a roster capable of challenging for playoff spots in the East.  

In the absence of former NBL Next Star LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller who spent significant time on the sideline last season, the Charlotte Hornets had the league’s lowest ranked offence. Key offseason additions, Collin Sexton and Spencer Dinwiddie are expected to boost the team’s scoring, bringing in their combined 30 points per game from last season.

The Hornets lost a lot of depth at centre, when Jusuf Nurkic and Mark Williams departed via trade. With two active centres on the roster, the starting spot is set to be taken by Mason Plumlee who returns after leaving Charlotte in 2023. Hornet’s fans will hope that he can emulate the form he displayed in the 2022-23 season where he averaged a career high 12.2 points per game and 9.7 rebounds per game.

The Charlotte Hornets are going into the 2025-26 season with momentum, having won the 2025 Summer League. With Summer League title game MVP Kon Knueppel as a catalyst for the franchise's first ever tournament win, the Hornets hope their young core can ignite an energy that brings the franchise to new heights.

2025-26 Predicted Lineup

• Point Guard: LaMelo Ball
• Shooting Guard: Brandon Miller
• Small Forward: Kon Knueppel
• Power Forward: Miles Bridges
• Centre: Mason Plumlee

Australians who have played for the Charlotte Hornets

Josh Green: Born in Sydney, New South Wales, Green joined the Charlotte Hornets in 2024 after spending 4 years at the Dallas Mavericks. Green’s defensive versatility and athleticism is a valuable asset to the Charlotte Hornets, who started him on 67 occasions in the 2024/25 season.

Mangok Mathiang: South Sudanese Australian player Mangok Mathiang signed a two-way contract with the Charlotte Hornets in 2017. Mangok appeared in four games averaging 2.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.

History

The Charlotte Hornets were founded in 1988 as part of the NBAs four team expansion. The franchise gained nationwide attention for their choice in uniforms, opting for a teal colour and an NBA first pinstripe style. Despite finishing their inaugural season with a record of 20-62, the franchise enjoyed top spot in the NBA attendance figures.

With a tough start to their time as an NBA franchise, the Charlotte Hornets were boosted when they drafted franchise legend Larry Johnson in the 1991 Draft. Johnson won 1992 Rookie of the Year and appeared in two All Stars games with the franchise.

In 1993, the Hornets had a young core of Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson, who propelled the franchise to a record of 44-38, which was enough to give the franchise their first playoff berth. Two years later this young core would lead the side to a record of 50-32, appearing in the playoffs before losing to the Chicago Bulls.

A new era of Hornets basketball started when the franchise traded Alonzo Mourning for forward Glen Rice. Rice along with Muggsy Bogues, and Vlade Divac led the franchise to their best season finishing with a record of 54-28.  

In the early 2000s the franchise moved to New Orleans for a short time, before relocating back to Charlotte as the Charlotte Bobcats. New owner Robert L Jackson became the first African American majority owner in the NBA.

In 2006 as part of the deal that saw NBA icon Michael Jordan become a minority owner, Jordan took reigns as head of basketball operations. In 2014 Jordan led a successful charge to change the franchise’s name back to the Charlotte Hornets.

In 2011, the Hornets drafted Kemba Walker with the ninth pick. In his career at Charlotte, Kemba would become the franchise's all-time points leader and be selected to the All-Star game four times. The franchise would qualify for the playoffs on various occasions in the Kemba Walker era, but would never advance past the first round

Now, in the LaMelo Ball era, the franchise is focusing on youth, with top draft picks, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel forming a core around the All-Star point-guard. The Hornets took out the 2025 Summer League competition with Kon Knueppel at the centre of the team’s success.

Identity

As representatives of North Carolina, the Charlotte Hornets carry the responsibility of showcasing a brand of basketball that preserves the state's rich history. The Charlotte Hornets became innovators of basketball fashion when their teal-coloured jerseys with pin stripes started a trend in the NBA. The Charlotte Hornets, currently in their adolescence, are hoping to build a strong NBA team under the guidance of coach Chris Lee in his second season. With many young players at their disposal, the franchise hopes their patient wait for success will prove worthwhile as they continue to cultivate a winning culture.

Five Fast Facts

1. The Hornets name comes from the Revolutionary War, when a British commander called Charlotte "a hornet's nest of rebellion"
2. The franchise has had two distinct eras in Charlotte (1988-2002 and 2004-present), with a brief period as the Charlotte Bobcats
3. Michael Jordan was majority owner from 2010-2023 before selling to current ownership group
4. LaMelo Ball was named 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year
5. The team has never advanced past the second round of the playoffs

Club Timeline

• 1988: Original Charlotte Hornets founded as expansion team
• 2002: Franchise relocates to New Orleans
• 2004: NBA awards new expansion franchise to Charlotte (Bobcats)
• 2014: Team reclaims Hornets name and history of original franchise
• 2023: New ownership group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall takes over
• 2025: The Hornets win the 2025 Summer League

With almost 40 years of NBA basketball under their belt, the Charlotte Hornets are hoping to reach new heights in the coming seasons. The Hornets head into the 2025/26 season with key stars returning from long stints on the sidelines and crucial offseason moves completed. With the addition of Summer League standout, Kon Knueppel, the team is shaping up to jump a few spots in the East and challenge for playoff spots.