Swarm and Sting
Fansided

Top 5 Centers in Charlotte Hornets history

By Evan Birchmore

NEW YORK - CIRCA 1992: Alonzo Mourning #33 of the Charlotte Hornets grabs a rebound against the New York Knicks during an NBA basketball game circa 1992 at Madison Square Garden in the Manhattan borough of New York City. Mourning played for the Hornets from 1992-95. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - CIRCA 1992: Alonzo Mourning #33 of the Charlotte Hornets grabs a rebound against the New York Knicks during an NBA basketball game circa 1992 at Madison Square Garden in the Manhattan borough of New York City. Mourning played for the Hornets from 1992-95. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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8 Nov 1996: Center Vlade Divac of the Charlotte Hornets stands on the court during a game against the Washington Bullets at the US Air Arena in Landover, Maryland. The Hornets won the game 102-87. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger /Allsport
8 Nov 1996: Center Vlade Divac of the Charlotte Hornets stands on the court during a game against the Washington Bullets at the US Air Arena in Landover, Maryland. The Hornets won the game 102-87. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger /Allsport /

Vlade Divac (1996-1998)

Acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the most infamous trades in NBA history, Vlade Divac performed better than history would have you believe during his two seasons in Charlotte. As the team’s second-leading rebounder, Divac was an important part of the first consecutive playoff teams in franchise history. His arrival certainly helped bolster the Hornets’ frontcourt in 1996-97, as Charlotte won a franchise record 54 games that season.

Divac set the Charlotte franchise record with 12 blocks in a game against the New Jersey Nets in February of 1997. That performance also gave Divac the title for the most blocks in a game by a player during the 1996-97 season.

He would go on to play professionally in Europe during the 1998-98 NBA lockout and would eventually sign with the Sacramento Kings as a free agent in 1999. He retired after the 2004-05 season after spending time with the Kings and returning to the Lakers. He is one of three Hornets players to have been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, alongside Robert Parish and Alonzo Mourning.

For his Hornets career, Divac averaged 11.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 157 total games.