The Charlotte Hornets are sometimes forgotten among NBA fans. The Hornets have never won an NBA championship, let alone played in the NBA Finals or Eastern Conference Finals. With that said, the franchise has seen some successful seasons from the players in the team’s history. That includes one promising start with a slew of successful players from the late 90s.
The Hornets are still searching for that first team to take them off to new heights. Fans have been waiting for a long time but have enjoyed spurts of a successful team. However, the lack of inconsistency in winning has made it tough to remember some of the great players. This is where we come in to help, to let you, the reader, know who the Charlotte Hornets’ top ten players of all time are.Â
From the Hornets to the Bobcats to back to the Hornets, these are the top-10 all-time players in team history.
Honorable Mentions
LaMelo Ball
Years in Charlotte Hornets: 2 (2020-Present)
Charlotte Hornets: 18.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 7.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Career: 18.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 7.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Honors: All-Star (2022), Rookie Of The Year, All-Rookie First Team
In two seasons, Ball is nearing the team’s record for triple-doubles. With six triple-doubles in two seasons, Ball is taking over as the modern face of the franchise. Ball brings a unique talent to the floor, one of which Charlotte may have never seen in the history of their team. He already owns the sixth-highest efficiency rating, trailing several other great Hornet players.
Assuming that Ball stays with the team, his ceiling is only going to grow. The problem is that most of the great players do not stay with the Hornets. Ball has two years left before he can be signed to a massive contract, the largest likely given in team history. If Ball agrees to an extension, he will likely be the best Hornet ever to play in Charlotte.
Al Jefferson
Years In Charlotte Hornets: 3 (2013-2016)
Charlotte Hornets: 17.5 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.1 BPG
Career: 15.7 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.2 BPG
Honors: All-NBA Third Team (2014)
In the 2013 offseason, Jefferson was considered one of the highly-touted free agents. The Hornets made a splash by signing Jefferson to a three-year, $40.5 million deal. Jefferson’s first year didn’t get off the way he wanted, as a sprained ankle forced him to miss the entire preseason and nine of the first 12 games of the season. With that said, Jefferson began to have the best season in his career. He tied his career-high in points with 40 and eventually won Eastern Conference Player of the Month in March and April. He finished the season with his only All-NBA appearance.
The following two seasons saw Jefferson battle injuries and was once demoted to the bench. Jefferson never made any major dent in the all-time rankings, but he is one of the few Hornets players to ever wear the jersey and be named to the All-NBA Team. For those efforts, he is worth an honorable mention.
10. Dell Curry
Years In Charlotte Hornets: 10 (1988-1998)
Charlotte Hornets: 14.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Career: 11.7 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Honors: Sixth Man Of The Year (1994)
Curry is the only player to exceed 700 games with the Hornets. His 701 games played are a franchise record, while he ranks third in minutes. When Curry left the team, he was the franchise leader in field goals and points. Now, he ranks second in both categories. With that said, he owns the record for making two-point field goals with 3,022.
Curry also ranks in the top-5 in assists and steals while making a top-5 appearance in total win shares. Despite never making an All-Star Team, he won the Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1994. Curry’s career was made in Charlotte, where he enjoyed his most success.
9. Muggsy Bogues
Years In Charlotte Hornets: 10 (1988-1997)
Charlotte Hornets: 8.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 8.8 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Career: 7.7 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 7.6 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Honors: None
Despite never earning an All-Star appearance with the Hornets, Bogues has to be right up there with some of the greatest Hornets players ever. In 10 seasons, Bogues racked up the most career assists and steals, both of which are records today. He also holds the second-most games played in franchise history, as well as the second-most minutes.
Bogues holds the record for career assist average with 8.8. There was a stretch where Bogues averaged at least 8.0 assists per game in six consecutive seasons. He owns the second-most offensive win shares and is third in total win shares. Altogether, he was an underrated player in the league during his time.
8. Emeka Okafor
Years In Charlotte Hornets: 5 (2004-2009)
Charlotte Hornets: 14.0 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.8 APG, 1.9 BPG
Career: 12.0 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.6 BPG
Honors: Rookie Of The Year, All-Rookie First Team
After being selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, Okafor won Rookie of the Year by averaging 15.1 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. Okafor averaged a double-double in all five seasons while playing for the Hornets. Okafor ranks in the top-10 in minutes, field goals, and points, but his bread and butter was his rebounding and defensive presence.
Okafor is the all-time leading rebounder for the Hornets despite not owning the record for offensive or defensive rebounds. Okafor also ranks second in career blocks. His rebounding will live on as his 10.7 career average with the Hornets is a franchise record. His defensive ability was validated by his defensive win shares count, which is third in franchise history.
7. Anthony Mason
Years In Charlotte Hornets: 4 (1996-2000)
Charlotte Hornets: 13.4 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 4.8 APG, 0.9 APG, 0.3 BPG
Career: 10.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.7 APG, 0.3 BPG
Honors: All-NBA Third Team (1997), All-Defensive Second Team (1997)
Mason holds the franchise record for triple-doubles in a career, which will likely be broken by next season. Mason ranks seventh in defensive and total rebounds, while his 39.9 minutes per game with the Hornets is second-most all-time. He also ranks in the top-7 for total win shares, as well as offensive win shares.
Mason could be viewed as a one-hit-wonder, but you cannot deny that some of his best years were with the Hornets. His 1996-97 season was a great year, but when he played for the Hornets, he averaged a double-double. At the end of the day, Mason was a solid player for the franchise.
6. Eddie Jones
Years In Charlotte Hornets: 2 (1998-2000)
Charlotte Hornets: 19.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 2.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG
Career: 14.8 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Honors: All-Star (2000), All-NBA Third Team (2000), 2x All-Defensive Second Team (1999, 2000), Steals Leader (2000)
The Los Angeles Lakers wanted to make a run at winning a championship, and it came at the cost of Jones. In the middle of the 1998-99 season, Jones was packaged with Elden Campbell to the Hornets for Glen Rice, J.R. Reid, and B.J. Armstrong. Jones had started the first 20 games for the Lakers and then started the remaining 30 games with the Hornets. The Hornets missed the playoffs, but Jones finished runner-up in steals with 2.5 per game and made an appearance on the All-Defensive Team.
Jones had the best season of his career the following season. Jones averaged 20.1 points and led the league in total steals. He also averaged 4.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. Jones was voted to start the 2000 All-Star Game. The Hornets won 49 games and qualified for the playoffs before losing to the 76ers in the first round. Jones made the All-NBA Team for the first time in his career and made his second All-Defensive Second Team.
5. Gerald Wallace
Years In Charlotte Hornets: 7 (2004-2011)
Charlotte Hornets: 16.4 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.2 BPG
Career: 11.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG
Honors: All-Star (2010), All-Defensive First Team (2010), Steals Leader (2006)
When the Hornets were the Bobcats, Wallace was a member of the team and played alongside Okafor for five seasons. Wallace enjoyed a successful season in 2005-06 when he led the league in steals with 2.5 per game. He made the All-Star team in 2010, finishing the season with 18.2 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. He also made the All-Defensive First Team.
Wallace made enough of a mark to rank in several records. He played the fourth-most minutes and is sixth in career games. He is fifth in offensive rebounds, fourth in made field goals, and left the franchise as the all-time leader in made free throws, which he currently ranks second today. His lone record with the team is defensive rebounds, holding 2,623 while also ranking second in career steals.
4. Alonzo Mourning
Years In Charlotte Hornets: 3 (1992-1995)
Charlotte Hornets: 21.3 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.5 SPG, 3.2 BPG
Career: 17.1 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.8 BPG
Honors: 2x All-Star (1994, 1995), All-Rookie First Team
As Mourning never left the team, he might have been the greatest Hornet in team history. He had the offensive stats to back it up. When he left the Hornets, he eventually became a two-time Defensive Player of the Year. The thing is that Mourning was already a defensive stud with the team. He was so great that despite leaving the franchise in 1995, he remains the all-time leader in career blocks.
Two of the three seasons saw Mourning make All-Star status. In his three seasons, he remains a top-10 finisher in two-point field goals and made free throws, offensive rebounds, and minutes. He still holds the second-highest player efficiency rating, while his 3.2 blocks per game remains a franchise record. Again, Mourning could have been the greatest Hornet player if he stayed with the franchise long-term.
3. Glen Rice
Years In Charlotte Hornets: 3 (1995-1998)
Charlotte Hornets: 23.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Career: 18.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Honors: 3x All-Star (1996-98), All-Star Game MVP (1997), All-NBA Second Team (1997), All-NBA Third Team (1998)
After six years in Miami, Rice became a member of the Hornets, and this is where his career blossomed. In his three seasons, Rice made the All-Star team all three years, including winning All-Star MVP in 1997. Rice was critical to the team’s success, which is why he was always on the court. In the history of the franchise, Rice is the only player to average over 40 minutes of action per game. His 40.8 minutes per game average remains a record.
Rice ranks seventh in made field goals, as well as fifth in made three-point field goals and free throws. He ranks fifth in career points, where he scored 5,651 career points in three seasons. Had Rice stayed with the Hornets longer, he probably would have finished as the all-time leading scorer. Then again, he would have never won a championship with the Lakers had he stayed.
2. Larry Johnson
Years In Charlotte: 5 (1991-1996)
Charlotte Hornets: 19.6 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Career: 16.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.3 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Honors: 2x All-Star (1993, 1995), All-NBA Second Team (1993), Rookie Of The Year, All-Rookie First Team
Johnson broke onto the scene by winning Rookie of the Year and then morphed into a two-time All-Star with the team. In his five seasons, he ranks among the top 10 in numerous records with the franchise. That includes ranking fifth in minutes, third in field goals, and second in total rebounds. With that said, Johnson holds the franchise record for offensive rebounds with 1,186. He holds a narrow edge over Okafor’s 1,157 offensive rebounds.
Johnson also ranks sixth in career assists and fourth in career points. His best overall season came in 1992-93 when he made All-NBA Second Team when he averaged 22.1 points and 10.5 rebounds. It was his second year in the league and his second straight season of averaging a double-double.
1. Kemba Walker
Years In Charlotte Hornets: 8 (2011-2019)
Charlotte Hornets: 19.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Career: 19.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Honors: 3x All-Star (2017-19), All-NBA Third Team (2019)
The greatest player in team history has to go to Kemba Walker, who holds several records with the team. Walker owns the record for minutes played, made field goals, field goal attempts, two-point field goal attempts, three-point field goals, three-point field goal attempts, free throws, attempted free throws, turnovers, and all-time points. He is the only player in team history that owns more than 10,000 career points with the franchise, earning 12,009 career points with the Hornets.
Walker also ranks second in career assists and is third in steals. As for the advanced stats, he owns the most offensive win shares and total win shares, while he is second in defensive win shares. He owns the highest value over replacement players out of all Hornet players. When the Hornets let him walk in free agency in 2019, it felt like a disservice because Walker probably would have ended his career with the team if it was up to him.Â
