the CHARLOTTE HORNETS......HIVE DRIVE......Charlotte Coliseum......the best HORNETS Teams ever.....1992-95

I remember to this day when the NBA Expansion Committee gave an up and coming city in the Southern Atlantic States an NBA Franchise. But what I remember the most was the Pinstripe Jerseys and the Teal Blue and Purple color of the Jerseys.

The Initial thought was that being an expansion team that have to ONE...put a Team together for the sheer purpose of fielding a team. Two...how many years was it going to take the Hornets to become a Playoff-Caliber Franchise and team.

Playing in the Infamous Arena called the Charlotte Coliseum on HIVE Drive, known as 100 Paul Buck Boulevard, surprising enough or not surprising enough the Hornets led the NBA in Attendance  for about 9 years from their existence in 1988-89 Season through the 1995-96 Season.

Their 1st ever pick was the Athletic Jump-Shooting Owensboro Kentucky native Rex Chapman who was drafted from the University of Kentucky Lexington Wildcats. Rex was a show on to himself as he garnered a lot of attention at UK and deservedly so. A textbook Jump Shooter who had in his hay day a 38-40" Vertical.........yes and would flush on anyone or at least try to.

Rex played with a PG from Wake Forest names Tyrone "MUGSY" Bogues...all 5'3" of Mugsy (Mugsy played High School ball on that famous Bob Wade Coached team from Paul H. Dunbar HS in Baltimore Maryland. Check the Archives at Bluedude Sportstalk in July on the Poets). After Rex's initial season in 1988-89 help would start to come and the Hornets wouldn't miss on their picks too many times.

In 1990 the Team started to head in the Right direction by selecting The University of Illinois Flying Illini G Kendall Gill from Rich Central HS in Olympia Fields Illinois...South Surburban Chicago Area.

Gill came in and immediately made an impact. The 6'4" G was MUGSY'S sidekick and a darn good one. The Hornets struggled that season but one could tell they were headed in the right direction.

NOTE: Before they took Gill in 1990 they had already drafted a low-profile player out of VA Tech...a Guard by the name of Dell Curry. A stand-still Sniper on the NBA Level if you ever saw one.

Then in 1991 the Hornets had the #1 Overall Pick in the 1991 NBA Draft and selected their best Overall Player and Franchise Player out of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas...6'7" 250 El Bees Larry "L.J." Johnson. The roof was starting to come off of the HIVE then. LJ brought Charisma, Energy, and a Win at any cost attitude because Johnson was a Big-Time Winner on every level that he played..HS, Juco, Division 1..you name it Johnson owned it.

After that piece to the puzzle was put in place the Hornets had something to work with in PG Mugsy, 2 SG's in Gill and Curry, and now a Franchise Type PF in Larry Johnson...now they needed to solidify the Middle of the Floor.

In 1992 The Hornets got their man at #2...behind #1 Pick Shaquille O'Neal to Orlando..Alonzo Mourning of Georgetown was a Charlotte Hornet. The Hornets were officially moving up the Eastern Conference now and the addition of ZO put the Fan-Base in the Charlotte Metro Area at an All-Time High.

The Hornet's had one of the best young TRIO'S in the Association in GILL, ZO, and LJ and could only muster one playoff appearance the 2 years ZO was there.

After the 1993-94 Season they traded ZO to Miami and that I thought ended any hope for the Hornets to ever get to the TOP of the Echelon in the East. My Question was this...ZO wanted I remember vividly a new deal after the Hornets I think gave LJ around $86 Million, during the 1993-94 season, which in that time frame was the Highest Paid NBA Contract ever. ZO threatened Upper management that he would leave if they didn't meet the Demands and off ZO went to the Bottom 305.

What that scenario showed me something else inside of the Hornets Locker Room...ZO didn't want to play 2nd Fiddle to no one especially Larry Johnson. Man Can't we just get along...not trying to single ZO out....but that cost the Hornets dearly in every facet of the Franchise.

But between the years of 1992-1996, when ZO and LJ were together in the 1992-1994 Seasons, the Hornets were one of the Best teams in the East a Top 5-6 easily. ZO left in 1994 and LJ went to NYC in 1996.

If you ever attended a game there like the Bluedude did in 1992-1993 season (I was playing Basketball at a Division II School in Hickory, NC at the TIME...the World's Furniture Capital)....the Loud Speakers in the Charlotte Coliseum would play like a Bee Hive sound during the game which was really cool.

And when the Hornets were at their best the Year was 1992-93 when they both had ZO and LJ and were 44-38 and knocked out the Celtics in the 1st round.

The ROSTER that year Key Pieces:

PG Mugsy Bogues Wake Forest
SG Kendall Gill Illinois works with Comcast Sports Chicago Bulls telecasts
SG/SF Dell Curry Virginia Tech works with the Charlotte Bobcats Broadcast Team
SF johnny Newman Richmond member of Kappa Alpha Psi
PF Larry Johnson  UNLV resides in Las Vegas as of 2010
C Alonzo Mourning Georgetown VP for the Miami Heat
PG Tony Bennett head Coach at University of Virginia Charlottesville
PF/C Kenny Gattison Old Dominion Atlanta Hawks Asst. Coach

NOTE: 1st Ever Hornets Pick in 1988 Rex Chapman is currently Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Phoenix Suns.

What a team and a Roster. I will remember the Hornets for a variety of things...Sell-Out Crowds in the Loudest NBA Arena at the time, the Trio of Gill, LJ, and ZO, the Bees buzzing over head during the game, and the Color and the Make of the Jerseys.

Unfortunately like all good things must come to an end...after Dismal Attendance and Owners that didn't take care of business in Charlotte...the Hornets relocated to New Orleans at the start of the 2002-03 season. Charlotte then was awarded another franchise the Charlotte Bobcats and they play in the new state-of-the-art Arena...Time-Warner Cable Arena in downtown Charlotte NC.

But I just don't think thy will ever be able to duplicate the Original Charlotte Hornets...and for that matter the Hive on Hive Drive as well.