FanSided which is a very popular website regarding sports published their ranking of top 250 fandoms and it was a very surprising fact that the Charlotte Hornets was not on this list.
Even though the Hornets were very active during the offseason both in the transfer market and the NBA draft still they were not included in the list.
We can assume that due to the fact the voting took place for some time, the moves and activity during the offseason by Hornets were not taken into account. However, we all anticipate that in the next season the Hornets will have their rightful place on the list.
What are the possible reasons behind Charlotte’s omittance?
There are several reasons why the Hornets were not included in the list. First of all, during the past years, Charlotte has been one of the weakest teams in the NBA. When the voting started the team had a record of 23-42. Then the season was halted amid the coronavirus pandemic for almost 6 months. The attendance was the lowest after the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Where do the Hornets have the largest fan base besides the United States?
The Hornets whose majority is owned by legendary Michael Jordan has a relatively decent fanbase not only in the United States but in Scandinavian countries as well. The first country that comes to our mind is Norway, where there are plenty of fans of the Carolina Panthers as well. The Hornets’ popularity gained a foothold as soon as Michael Jordan purchased a part of the team.
This fact in its turn was an inspiration for the gambling industry in Norway, which is still in the development period to introduce promotions on the Hornets. Some of the Norwegian online casinos, which are referred to as norske casino among local citizens, started featuring Charlotte in their sports sections. You could see titles “Bobcats” (this is the previous name of Charlotte) and “Hornets”, whereas by clicking them Norwegians were able to access promotions.
Another very interesting fact is that the Charlotte Hornets have their own fanbase in Norway. Even though Norwegians are not very fond of basketball, the Hornets brought a revival in this discipline.
How will the Hornets look next year?
The next season which starts in December and will be short because of the coronavirus pandemic will be a turning point for the Hornets. Devonte’ Graham and Terry Rozier are two big names that are going to have an impact on the team’s performance.
The 2020 NBA draft was also very lucky for the Hornets, as they got LaMelo Ball – the brother of Lonzo Ball – and Vernon Carey Jr both of which are going to have significant playing time in the regular season. The team will be energized and drafting LaMelo Ball, one of the hottest prospects of the NBA is a huge achievement.
The Hornets have also bought Gordon Hayward, whose career was hampered by injuries at the Boston Celtics. He is an extremely talented player and we all know his capabilities. Hayward will bring both experience and attacking prowess to the Charlotte Hornets. If he stops to remain injury-prone, Hayward will be a deadly force for the team and can replace Kemba Walker.
James Borrego who has been in charge of the team since 2018 brought some positive results in terms of the team’s playing potential but still, there is a lot of work to be done for full effect.
The fanbase will also be revived, hearing the news about LaMelo Ball. He is a fantastic player, tall, energetic. The fanbase should anticipate that they will be included in the top-250 list for the first time when it was formed back in 2017.
The Hornets will play the first match of the regular season against the Toronto Raptors on December 13.
The chance for Michael Jordan
The Charlotte Hornets need to make no mistake in the transfer market.
Michael Jordan, a six-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, has been the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets since 2010. During this time, the franchise has only made the playoffs twice. Jordan is stuck in the rankings of the NBA’s top losers. The 2020 off-season gives Michael a unique chance to get rid of that reputation.
The main characteristic of the Hornets during Jordan’s tenure is mediocrity. The team is not good enough to reach the playoffs, but it is not the worst of the worst to dive to the bottom and fight for the highest lottery peaks to select elite talent in the draft. The face of the franchise most of this time was Kemba Walker – a quality performer, but not a superstar of the first magnitude. Jordan could not surround him with similar performers. His office lobbied for a series of failed decisions that limited the Hornets’ potential.
Now Jordan has the opportunity to get a real player of the highest class. It’s about playmaker Russell Westbrook, who made a request for an exchange with the Houston Rockets. Charlotte is one of the favorites to implement the Westbrook deal. Moreover, Jordan is personally interested in his team is joined by a Houston player who has stopped getting along with his teammate James Harden and wants to serve as an obvious leader.
In general, Jordan and the Hornets are better off replacing Westbrook, but the backup option in the form of a potential chance to draft Ball is also not so bad. It is likely that bright times will come very soon for Jordan and we will see a lot in the next season.