1988 Expansion Draft
The 1988 Expansion Draft launched the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat into the NBA.
The 1988 NBA Expansion Draft was held on June 23, 1988, to stock the rosters of the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat, two of the four teams added in 1988 and 1989. The other two were the Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Quick Facts
- Event
- 1988 NBA Expansion Draft
- Franchise origin
- Charlotte Hornets (later New Orleans/Orlando Hornets)
- Year established
- 1988
- Key selections
- Sam Perkins
- Larry Johnson
- Alonzo Mourning
- Relocation year to nola
- 2002
- Status
- Historical Foundation of the Pelicans
Lore & Background
The Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat joined the NBA in 1988 as part of a wave of expansion that also included the Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves in 1989. The Hornets later relocated to New Orleans in 2002, becoming the New Orleans Hornets (now the New Orleans Pelicans). The Charlotte Bobcats were added in 2004, and in 2014 the Bobcats rebranded to the Charlotte Hornets, with the New Orleans Pelicans retroactively recognized as a new franchise established in 2002.
Reader's Guide
The 1988 Expansion Draft allowed the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat to select players from existing NBA teams. Notable players selected by the Hornets included Dell Curry, who became a franchise icon. The draft helped establish the foundation for both teams as they began play in the 1988–89 season.
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