Despite the lack of team success that the Charlotte Hornets have had in their existence, their all-time roster isn’t filled with subpar players. The Hornets have managed to bring in quite a few star players with their little time in the league. The Hornets have filled their all-time team with current and future hall of fame players. Their current roster may be a joke to some, but the all-time roster isn’t. Since the league is shifting towards positionless basketball, some players have been moved around to fit the theme better.
All-Time Charlotte Hornets
The Starting Five
PG – Kemba Walker
No surprise here. Kemba Walker has done more for this franchise than any other player. Walker has emerged as a big-time star these past few years. Although he recently left to join the Boston Celtics, Hornets fans will always cherish the memories made with Walker. In his time with Charlotte, he was a three-time All-Star, and this past year he was one of the starting players for the All-Star game. In the 2018-19 NBA season, he averaged a career-high 25.6 points, 5.9 assists, and 1.2 steals. Walker led the Hornets to two playoff appearances but unfortunately lost in the first round both times. Despite this, he had an illustrious career with the Hornets. Walker was a great role model and a great leader to the young players on the roster. Hornets fans will always remember the great moments Walker gave them, and the amount of time and energy he invested into the franchise.
SG – Dell Curry
Dell Curry spent most of his time in the league with the Hornets. Curry was an asset throughout the 90s for the Hornets and helped them to four playoff appearances. During his time with the Hornets, Curry averaged 14 points with an impressive 48 field goal shooting percentage. Curry was a high volume shooter, his three-point average for the Hornets stands at 40.5 percent. His kids, Stephen Curry, and Seth Curry weren’t quite as lucky with their shooting abilities (that’s a lie). While on the Hornets, Curry boasted a 51.6 effective field goal percentage. By looking at his statistics alone, Curry was one of the best shooters in the league at the time. He was important to the team in situations where they needed to kick the ball out for a late-game shot.
SF – Glen Rice
Although Glen Rice only played with the Hornets for three years, he still is an essential part of the team’s history. He led the Hornets to two playoff appearances and was an All-Star for all three years. Rice ended his prime with the team, averaging 23.5 points on 48.2 percent shooting. In the 1996-97 NBA playoffs, Rice averaged 27.7 points but fell short from advancing past the first round. Rice is a great addition to the all-time team and makes a great case for himself to be in the hall of fame.
PF – Larry Johnson
Larry Johnson was a monster with the Hornets. He played his entire prime with the team. He participated in two All-Star games and won the Rookie of the Year award for the 1991-92 NBA season. In his second season, he also earned a spot on the All-NBA second team. During his time with the Hornets, Johnson averaged 19.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks. Many fans remember Johnson as a gritty, hard-working player–and rightfully so. Johnson is a lock for the starting position of this all-time team.
C – Alonzo Mourning
Although Alonzo Mourning only played three seasons with the Hornets, he has statistics to boast. Mourning played his first three seasons with the Hornets and was a member of the All-Star team twice. He averaged the most points on the Hornets than any other team that he played for with 21.3 points per game. He accompanied that with 3.2 blocks and 10.1 rebounds. It’s safe to say that Mourning wasn’t an average center. Although he didn’t win a Defensive Player of the Year award until later in his career, 3.2 blocks per game prove that it wasn’t easy scoring down low.
The Bench
PG – Muggsy Bogues
Muggsy Bogues spent the greater part of his career with the Hornets. Although Bogues wasn’t a superstar player, he was still a great addition to the team. Bogues, listed at 5’3″, is the shortest player in NBA history. Despite his height, he still managed to put up averages of 8.8 points, 8.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Although it’s not much, he also averaged 2.9 rebounds, which for a 5’3″ player is extremely difficult. Bogues was an essential part of the team for when the Hornets made their playoff runs in the mid-1990s. Again, Bogues wasn’t a superstar player, but nonetheless is one of the key components in franchise history.
SG – Baron Davis
Baron Davis is one of the most high-flying guards in NBA history. He was drafted into the Hornets organization and played his first three years with the team. During his time with the Hornets, he managed to not miss one game. He appeared in the All-Star game in the last year with the Hornets, the 2002 NBA All-Star game. In that season, Davis averaged 18.1 points, 8.5 assists, and 2.1 steals. In his entire stint with Charlotte, Davis averaged 12.6 points and 6.5 assists.
SF – Kendall Gill
Kendall Gill, along with many others, only spent a few years with the Hornets. Although his time with the organization was short, Gill still produced. In his four years with the team, he averaged 15.6 points, 4.2 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals. In his second year on the team, he recorded his second-greatest point average at 20.5 points per game. Although Gill was never an All-Star, he consistently contributed great statistics to help the franchise win.
PF – Gerald Wallace
Gerald Wallace spent his prime with the team and played phenomenally. He earned his trip to the NBA All-Star Game for the 2009-10 season. Although he could never lead the team to the playoffs, Wallace was still a great addition to the franchise. His averages in Charlotte consist of 16.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.2 blocks. Wallace was an all-around player that served well for Charlotte.
C – Al Jefferson
Al Jefferson played for Charlotte for only three seasons but had arguably some of his best years paired with Walker. Jefferson averaged 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds with Charlotte. Although his last year on the team was riddled with injuries, he was still a major contributor to the roster. Jefferson served as a great mentor for the young players on the team, as well as a great contributor to the team’s success. Jefferson helped lead the team to two playoff appearances, where his combined statistics average to 14.9 points and 7.1 rebounds.
Main Photo
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