Team: New Orleans Hornets
Sport: NBA Basketball
Background: The New Orleans Hornets
are a National Basketball Association team based in
New Orleans, Louisiana. The current head coach is
Byron Scott.
Founded: 1988
Formerly known as: Charlotte Hornets
(1988-2002)
Home Arena: New Orleans Arena
Uniform colors: Teal blue, Purple,
and Gold
Logo design: A teal blue hornet with
an "H" on its stomach holding a gold basketball
NBA Championships: (None)
Franchise history:
Oct. 1988:
The franchise plays its first game as the Charlotte
Hornets. The team was led by guard Kelly Tripucka,
who provided instant points. Tripucka was Charlotte's
top scorer for the franchise's first two seasons.
The team also had sharp shooting rookie Rex Chapman,
who was also an instant scoring threat.
For the 1990-91 season,
The team picked up guard Kendall Gill in the NBA draft,
and got slightly better, but still managed to win
the NBA draft lottery and the rights to the number
one overall pick.
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For the 1991-92 season,
The Hornets drafted power forward Larry Johnson from
UNLV with the number one overall pick. Johnson had
an impact season, finishing among league leaders in
points and rebounds, and winning NBA rookie of the
year. Kendall Gill led the club in scoring, with over
20 points per game.
In 1992-93,
The team won the second pick in the draft, using it
to draft center Alonzo Mourning from Georgetown. The
Hornets now had twin 20-10 threats in Johnson and
Mourning, who with Gill formed perhaps the league's
top young trio. It was good enough for fifth in the
Eastern Conference and a playoff spot,
where they upset the Boston Celtics with Mournings
famous series-winning shot. However, they lacked the
experience and depth to defeat the New York Knicks.
Not to be forgotten:
• Mugsy
Bogues
• Dell
Curry
|
• Larry
Johnson
• Alonzo
Mourning
|
• Glen
Rice |
Retired Numbers:
• 6
(Sixth Man) -- The Fans
|
• 7
Pete Maravich |
• 13
Bobby Phills |
Note: The Hornets retired Pistol
Pete's number during their first game in New Orleans
in honor of his basketball contributions to the area
at LSU and with New Orleans' previous NBA team, the
Jazz.
Current Stars:
• P.J.
Brown
• Baron
Davis |
• Jamaal
Magloire
• Jamal
Mashburn
|
• David
Wesley |
