In the long line of notable Charlotte Hornets, one of the more underrated players is David Wesley.
While the present is, well, the present and the future looks as uncertain as it ever has, why not continue to delve into the past? The Charlotte Hornets have a brief, but interesting history, so while we’re all cooped up in our homes, awaiting whatever may come, let’s continue to go back in time to some simpler days.
Around the turn of the century, the Hornets were competing for dominance in the Eastern Conference. I covered a large part of why that particular group of Hornets was successful here, but I very briefly touched on an oft-overlooked piece of that era. That piece, of course, being David Wesley.
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Wesley was another in a long line of undersized, chip on his shoulder, kind of guys the Hornets have featured over much of their history. Guys like him and Muggsy Bogues helped pave the way for players like Kemba Walker, who were continually told they were too small to compete in the NBA, but always proved doubters wrong.
At 6’0″, Wesley dealt with some of the same criticisms coming out of college. After leaving Baylor in 1992 to try and make his way into the NBA, many doubted his ability to function as a shooting guard, which was his preferred position in college.
In a “positionless” modern NBA, teams would work around that, but back then, positions were still very regimented and the thought at the time was to want guys his size running point. Wesley hadn’t shown much ability to do that in college as his game was more of a slasher/scorer type more so than a facilitator.
Thus, Wesley went undrafted and went on to play a season for the Wichita Falls Texans in the now-defunct Continental Basketball Association. He impressed scouts enough there to earn a workout, and subsequent signing, for the New Jersey Nets the following year.
Although he didn’t exactly dazzle anyone in New Jersey, he would later sign with the Boston Celtics where his career would start to take off. In his second year in Boston, Wesley would average 17 points and 7 assists per game, playing both the one and two guard positions.
He would then sign with the Charlotte Hornets before the start of the 1997-1998 season. This would be where he would spend the bulk of his career. He would also help the still young franchise to some of their most successful years.
Considering I’ve already covered much of that era in a previous piece, I won’t go into too much detail, but I will mention Wesley’s impact on that particular time. Alongside stars like Baron Davis, Glen Rice, and Jamal Mashburn, Wesley thrived, often as the third wheel for teams that needed a player with his unique skillset.
Not only known for his scoring, but for being a staunch defender, Wesley helped the Hornets reach the playoffs five times in seven seasons, including two seasons when the team moved to New Orleans. He would average nearly 15 points and just over 5 dimes a game for the purple and teal.
He was also a competent outside shooter, making nearly 36% of his shots from downtown while in Charlotte and is 6th all-time in Hornets history in three-point field goals made. Defensively, he racked up 551 steals for the Hornets, good enough for 6th yet again on their all-time list.
After his tenure with the Hornets, he would go on to play for the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers before hanging them up in November of 2007. For his career, he would score 11,842 points, which is still the most points scored by an undrafted player for a career.
As far as star players go, the Hornets have had their share. Yet, it’s the little guys who don’t stuff a stat sheet form night-to-night who can really help bring a team together.
Wesley was that type of guy. He could score, he could defend, and he could often be seen diving recklessly for loose balls or taking charges much bigger guys wouldn’t be seen taking.
When remembering all the great players over the history of the franchise, don’t sleep on David Wesley. Despite his diminutive stature, he is definitely a significant part of Charlotte Hornets history.