Hornets News: Training at Duke, Theme nights, Tatum trolls Hornets vet

The Charlotte Hornets are weeks away from opening training camp, and the team brought in reinforcements who will look to prove they deserve a roster spot.

For the first time, the Hornets will host the training camp outside their facility. However, it will be a familiar place for some of their players.

In other news, Charlotte has unveiled important dates in its regular season that will allow its diverse and passionate fan base to enjoy watching games even more. Also, Boston Celtics champion Jayson Tatum announced his new children's book that features former teammate Grant Williams in a prominent and hilarious fashion.

Hornets' training camp to be held in Durham

Since 2020, the Hornets have conducted training camp at their home base. The previous year saw the squad set up shop at the University of North Carolina.

This time, they are heading to a different campus. Hornets president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson announced the team will spend four days at Duke University, the Michael W. Krzyzewski Center for Athletic Excellence, to be specific. Also called the K Center, the first-class complex is a three-story, 56,000-square-foot facility.

It will be a homecoming of sorts for two Hornets players, Seth Curry and Mark Williams. Curry played for the Blue Devils from 2010 to 2013. On the other hand, Mark Williams joined the program from 2020 to 2022. The big man developed his craft at Duke and is now one of Charlotte's most essential pieces.

Hornets reveal theme nights and giveaways for the 2024-25 season

On Thursday, the organization informed fans of its theme night calendar for the upcoming season, and it appears the Hornets faithful will have a jampacked schedule of fun and celebrations.

One of the highlights is the Opening Night festivities, where the home crowd will be treated to commemorative giveaways. Hopefully, the team can also deliver the win against the Miami Heat.

It also seems the franchise is anticipating Brandon Miller to continue his ascent to stardom this campaign as the incoming sophomore is getting the bobblehead treatment. The release of the collectible will coincide with Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It remains to be seen whether Charlotte is on the way to fulfilling Miller's playoff goals by that time or not.

JT pokes fun at Hornets veteran

After securing an NBA title and an Olympic gold medal, Tatum can now add "children's author" to his resume or Wikipedia page. He has debuted his first-ever book, "Baby Dunks-a-Lot: A Picture Book," which is partly inspired by his experiences as a dad.

The story revolves around an infant-turned-hoops-superstar. Funnily enough, it appears to feature Grant Williams as one of the protagonist's opponents.

Of course, it's all in good fun because the publication also has characters that resemble other NBA stars, including LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Tatum also wrote several names, presumably including Grant Williams', in the acknowledgment.

Moreover, the five-time All-Star was among those who stood up for the Hornets forward when a Celtics commentator accused him of being a "bad locker room guy."