Swarm and Sting
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Top 5 Charlotte Hornets Players of All-Time

By Bryce Fields

BOSTON, MA - 1993: Kendall Gill #13, Larry Johnson #2, Muggsy Bogues #1, and Alonzo Mourning #33 of the Charlotte Hornets walk up the court during a game against the Boston Celtics played at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts circa 1993. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1993 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - 1993: Kendall Gill #13, Larry Johnson #2, Muggsy Bogues #1, and Alonzo Mourning #33 of the Charlotte Hornets walk up the court during a game against the Boston Celtics played at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts circa 1993. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1993 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Despite their short history as a team, Charlotte has had some very talented players. The team success might not be where we would have wanted it, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy those who have exceled as a Hornet (or a Bobcat)!

Let’s go ahead and establish some disclaimers before we get into this list. When establishing my top 5 players in franchise history, I took into account all different factors. I looked at how long they produced for Charlotte, the success they had, and what their impact was. I did not just take into account winning, losing, or stats, if they did not sustain that or do it for very long. Longevity is key here when talking about how someone performed for one team.

Here we go:

#5.) Larry Johnson

  • averaged 19 .6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 5 seasons with CHA

Larry Johnson very well could be the most explosive Charlotte Hornet of all time. Johnson was named the 1992 Rookie of the Year, and was named an All-Star twice in his five seasons. He was also a huge factor in the Hornets making their first playoff appearance and winning their first post-season series in 1993. Johnson’s impact was great and he had success, but he fell to #5 on my list since he only played five years in Charlotte versus the time put in by some of the guys on the list.

#4) Glen Rice

  • averaged 23.5 points and 4.4 rebounds in 3 seasons with CHA

Glen Rice is my only exception to the “longevity matters” rule in my book. Rice only played three years in Charlotte, but those three were electric. Averaging 23.5 points per game in that span, Rice was a 3x All-Star and a 2x All-NBA selection. Despite only being a Hornet for three years, but he was the driving factor in two playoff pushes. Had he been in Charlotte longer, he most definitely would have been even higher on this list.

#3.) Dell Curry

  • averaged 14 points on 46/40/85 shooting percentages in 10 seasons with CHA

Dell Curry is a cornerstone of the entire Charlotte franchise. He was picked up in the expansion draft when the franchise began, and was regularly a Sixth Man of the Year award contender, winning it in 1994. As his stats show, Curry was an incredible shooter for a decade for the Hornets, and is near the top of every Hornets franchise scoring list. Some have Curry even higher on this list, but I like the versatility the next two guys have over Curry.

#2.) Muggsy Bogues

  • averaged 8.8 points, 8.8 assists, 1.7 steals in 10 seasons with CHA

Muggsy Bogues, the shortest NBA player ever, had an incredible stretch with the Hornets over the course of 10 seasons. He scored, he created, and played great defense in Charlotte, and was a key component in several playoff runs. The Hornets all-time assists and steals leader, Bogues will always be high on this list of best Hornets ever.

#1.) Kemba Walker

  • averaged in 18.9 points, 5.4 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 7 seasons with CHA

Kemba Walker, the man, the myth, the Charlotte legend. Arriving in 2011 as a member of the Bobcats, Walker has been the heart and soul of this team for going on eight years now. He is already the franchise’s all-time scoring leader, and is top 10 in virtually every category. There have been some great Hornets players, but Kemba Walker has had an incredible career in Charlotte, and hopefully he is able to continue that for years to come.