What Happened When Michael Jordan Took Over the Charlotte Bobcats?
In today’s #short, we’ll take a look back to the early 2000’s and explore the chaotic saga of the Charlotte Hornets, their shocking move to New Orleans, and the creation of the Charlotte Bobcats, one of the strangest chapters in NBA history.
After the Charlotte Hornets relocated to become the New Orleans Hornets in 2002, the city of Charlotte was left without a basketball team for the first time in over a decade. Fans who once filled the Charlotte Coliseum to watch stars like Muggsy Bogues, Larry Johnson, and Alonzo Mourning were left heartbroken by owner George Shinn’s decision to move the team.
But just two years later, the NBA expansion franchise known as the Charlotte Bobcats was born. Despite the excitement, the Bobcats struggled both on and off the court, missing the playoffs for most of their early seasons and facing major financial losses. That’s when Michael Jordan, who had been a minority investor since 2006, stepped in and bought the team, becoming the first former NBA player to own a franchise.
Meanwhile, in New Orleans, the Hornets themselves went through a rollercoaster of ownership changes, eventually being sold to the NBA and later rebranded under Tom Benson as the New Orleans Pelicans.
This documentary dives deep into the Charlotte Hornets history, from their electric early ’90s era to their relocation and rebirth, and how one city’s loss became another’s second chance.
What Happened When Michael Jordan Took Over the Charlotte Bobcats?
