Who are the Ten Greatest Charlotte Hornets of All-Time?

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Feb 14, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; NBA former player Alonzo Mourning during the NBA Hall of Fame Annoucement at New Orleans Hyatt. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

5.) Alonzo Mourning

Mourning is one of two Charlotte Hornets to be elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player. The other? Robert Parish, as I’m sure you guessed (I honestly had no idea Parish was ever a Hornet). Zo’s time in Charlotte was brief but spectacular. Thanks to his relatively short tenure as a Hornet, Mourning is mostly absent from the Charlotte record books, save for rebounds (5th), and blocks (1st).

However, the per game numbers reveal the exceptional level that Mourning played at for the Hornets. Mourning’s nightly output ranks top 2 in points (21.3, 2nd), rebounds (10.1, 2nd), and blocks (3.2, 1st). You’ll note that those numbers came in just under 36 minutes, only ninth most in Hornets history. Advanced statistics love Mourning as well. He ranks first in player efficiency rating (20.8), while placing second in both true shooting (58.9%), and block rate (5.7%).

Numbers alone never capture the whole story, but Zo was the type of player that this is especially true for. Mourning combined the cliched “high motor” effort levels, with genuine star talent. Zo was an intense dude both on and off the court.

His personality was undoubtedly a driving force in his success, as well as breaking up the great young team the Hornets had. The contentious nature of Mourning’s departure, when combined with its timing really hurts his standing here.