The Charlotte Hornets have had little success since their addition to the NBA in 1988.
Despite being owned by legendary Michael Jordan for 17 years, the Charlotte Hornets failed to leave the dent in the NBA.
In fact, the Hornets now have the longest playoff drought in the entire NBA, as they last reached the postseason in 2016.
Now, the Hornets definitely have a talented roster with a lamello ball at center, but they need an elite head coach to make the most of their players. The Hornets now have their trust in Charles Lee.
Before getting a job as the Hornets head coach, Lee was assistant and associate head coach for 10 seasons.
He did so alongside the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. He landed his first head coaching opportunity with the Hornets before the start of the 2024-25 NBA season.
However, Lee’s first season as a team coach was not fruitful. After all, the Hornets finished as the 14th seed of the Eastern Conference with a horrifying 19-63 record.
But like Jordi Fernandez of the Brooklyn Nets, it’s quick to judge Lee’s skills as a head coach. Especially considering that Ball fought injury and ended up playing in just 47 games last season.
Plus, even after missing out on the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Lee has been optimistic about the Hornets. This shows his trust in himself and the current quality of the roster.
With an overwhelming team in the NBA, it’s no surprise that the Hornets have changed a significant share of their head coaches.
Before Lee took over the reins for the Hornets, Steve Clifford fulfilled his franchise’s head coaching duties.
This was his second stint with the team, and his tenure spanned seven years in two stints, making him the longest head coach in franchise history.
He also holds a record of victory for most of the Hornets history, earning 244 wins in his name. Will Lee be able to surpass Clifford’s performance one day? Only time can be seen.