2004 Bobcats Re-founding Era

Lore & Background

The Charlotte Hornets franchise was established in 1988 as an expansion team owned by George Shinn. In 2002, Shinn moved the franchise to New Orleans, where they began play as the New Orleans Hornets, later rebranding as the Pelicans in 2013. The team would return as an expansion team, known as the Charlotte Bobcats, in the 2004–05 NBA season. On June 15, 2006, Michael Jordan acquired a minority stake in the franchise and became its managing member of basketball operations. On February 17, 2010, an ownership group led by Jordan purchased a majority share. In 2013, following the rebranding of the New Orleans Hornets to the Pelicans, the Bobcats announced they would begin playing as the Charlotte Hornets in the 2014–15 season, along with reclaiming the history and official records of the original Charlotte Hornets. In August 2023, Jordan sold his majority stake to a group of investors led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, retaining a minority share.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the Charlotte Coliseum hummed with anticipation on a crisp November night in 2004. For the first time in two years, the squeak of sneakers echoed off the walls of the Queen City's arena. Fans wearing blue and teal jerseys packed the stands, their eyes fixed on the court as the new Bobcats took the floor. It wasn't just a game; it was a homecoming, a testament to the city's enduring love for basketball.

Reader's Guide

The Hornets' first NBA game took place on November 4, 1988 at the Charlotte Coliseum, where they lost 133–93 to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team finished its inaugural season with a record of 20–62. The Hornets led the NBA in attendance in their first season, a feat they would achieve seven more times in Charlotte. The team drafted Larry Johnson with the first pick in the 1991 NBA draft, and Alonzo Mourning with the second overall pick in 1992. The Hornets finished the 1992–93 season at 44–38, their first winning record and first playoff berth, upsetting the Boston Celtics in the first round before falling to the New York Knicks in the second round. The team achieved a 54–28 record in the 1996–97 season, its best at the time. As of 2026, the Hornets are the only NBA franchise to have never won a division title, and one of two franchises alongside the New Orleans Pelicans to have never advanced to the conference finals.

Did You Know?

• The Hornets' name originates from British General Cornwallis, who allegedly described Charlotte as 'a hornet's nest of rebellion' following the Battle of Charlotte in 1780.
• The team's original uniforms, designed by Alexander Julian, featured pinstripes, a first for NBA uniforms.
• The Hornets sold out 364 consecutive games at the Charlotte Coliseum.
• Michael Jordan acquired a minority stake in the franchise on June 15, 2006, and later purchased a majority share on February 17, 2010.