![]() ![]() ![]() During the regular NBA draft, Charlotte drafted Rex Chapman from the University of Kentucky as the eighth overall pick. Most of the players that the Hornets drafted were gone after only a few seasons, with the exception of Curry and Mugsey Bogues who both had long successful runs with the Hornets. In the expansion draft, the Hornets selected Dell Curry (also known as Steph Curry’s dad) from the Cleveland Cavaliers as their first pick. However, Charlotte opted to let the Heat pick first in the expansion draft, which allowed the Hornets to have the higher pick in the regular NBA draft that would take place in a week’s time. Before the draft, a coin flip decided which team got to pick first, with the Hornets winning the toss. In the 1988 expansion draft, the two new clubs, The Hornets and the Miami Heat were allowed to pick unprotected players from each of the other NBA teams. The team would use this logo for the next 13 years while they were in Charlotte. This logo was quickly replaced the following year with the team’s more well known, and iconic branding that featured a cartoon looking hornet. For the logo, the Hornets used the block letters “C” and “H” for their first year in 1988. The Hornets also became known for being the first ever NBA team to wear pinstripe uniforms, which other teams later adapted as part of their look as well. The Hornets chose their primary colors of purple and teal, which during the late 1980’s and early 90’s was clearly a very popular color choice. The name hornets actually dates back to the revolutionary war, where British general Charles Cornwallis supposedly described the city of Charlotte as a “hornets nest of rebellion” during the battle of Charlotte in 1780. Initially, the team was set to be called the Charlotte Spirit, but after a fan vote the team decided to change the name to the Charlotte Hornets. Charlotte would also be joined by Miami as the two new teams for 1988, and later Minnesota and Orlando would begin play in 1989. ![]() On Apthe NBA granted a franchise to Charlotte, with them set to begin play the following season in 1988. With 24,000 seats, the arena would have the NBA’s largest seating capacity and would also be the biggest arena ever built for basketball only purposes. But the biggest advantage that Charlotte had over other prospective cities, was that the city was building a brand new state of the art arena near downtown Charlotte, named the Charlotte Coliseum. The city of Charlotte seemed like a perfect fit for an NBA team, as the city had one of the fastest growing populations at the time, while the state had a strong connection to the sport with the North Carolina Tar Heels college team as well as being the former home to the ABA’s Carolina Cougars. Shinn, along with a number of local investors, pitched their idea of starting a team in Charlotte to the NBA. George Shinn, a businessman from Kannapolis, North Carolina was interested in bringing pro basketball to the area. Taking the league from 23 teams to 27 teams by 1989. ![]() By the mid-1980’s the NBA was ready to expand the league, and they decided on adding four new franchises over a two year period. ![]()
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