Hornets PR

May 31, 2023 – The Charlotte Hornets announced today the team will make its first ever appearance in the California Classic Summer League at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento from July 3-5.

The Hornets join the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs in an expanded Classic field, and each team will play two games. Both of Charlotte’s games will be broadcast on ESPN.

The Hornets will also participate in the NBA 2K24 Summer League in Las Vegas from July 7-17. Charlotte owns five picks – Nos. 2, 27, 34, 39 and 41 – in the upcoming 2023 NBA Draft.

Below is a full schedule for the California Classic (All Times Pacific) :

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Charlotte Hornets To Participate In California Classic Summer League

May 16, 2023 – The Charlotte Hornets received the second overall selection in the 2023 NBA Draft during the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday. The Hornets entered the lottery with the fourth-best odds and moved up for the second time in four years.

The Hornets hold the second overall selection for the fourth time in franchise history. Charlotte selected Alonzo Mourning second overall in the 1992 Draft, Emeka Okafor second overall in the 2004 Draft and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist second overall in the 2012 Draft.

The Hornets also hold the 27th selection in the 2023 NBA Draft via the Denver Nuggets. Charlotte received the pick, in addition to four future second-round picks, from the New York Knicks on the night of the 2022 NBA Draft in exchange for the draft rights to Jalen Duren. The Hornets also own picks No. 34, 39 and 41 in the upcoming draft, which will take place on Thursday, June 22.

The Hornets will hold a Draft Party for fans, with details to be announced soon.

Hive Society Memberships for the 2023-24 season are available now, with extremely limited availability in the lower level, and feature some of the best benefits in professional sports.&nbsp;For more information or to purchase tickets, call 704.HORNETS.

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Charlotte Hornets To Pick Second In 2023 NBA Draft

May 12, 2023&nbsp;– The Charlotte Hornets today announced that the organization will commemorate the 35th&nbsp;Anniversary of the inaugural 1988-89 Hornets season during the 2023-24 NBA campaign.

The season-long celebration of the past, present and future of Charlotte basketball will include a series of 35thAnniversary games that will feature a new Classic Edition uniform, themed in-arena programming and promotional items, and appearances by former Hornets players.

“After having so much fun with our 30th&nbsp;Anniversary celebration five years ago, we’re excited to commemorate our 35thAnniversary next season,” said Hornets President & Vice Chairman Fred Whitfield. “We’re especially looking forward to our collaboration with the Charlotte Museum of History to help tell the story of our franchise over the last 35 years.”

In one of the highlights of the 35th&nbsp;Anniversary, the Hornets and the Charlotte Museum of History are collaborating to create a new exhibit about the team’s history. The “Hive at 35”&nbsp;exhibit will include interactive spaces, a timeline of Carolinas basketball history and plenty of artifacts, from the original teal-and-purple Hornets jerseys and game-worn shoes to commemorative items from the team’s inaugural season and other milestone events. The exhibit will open to the public on October 10 and will be included as part of regular museum admission. All Hornets Hive Society Members will receive a single-day pass for free museum admission to see the exhibit.

As part of the announcement, the Hornets unveiled a 35th&nbsp;Anniversary logo. Using the familiar cell shape, the logo includes the current Hornets logo over pinstripes with the words “35 Years” at the top and the years “1988” and “2023” at the bottom.

The 35th&nbsp;Anniversary celebration will also include themed content on&nbsp;hornets.com&nbsp;and the Hornets App, as well as themed merchandise available for sale at the Hornets Fan Shop, throughout the season.

Playing their inaugural game on November 4, 1988, the Hornets were the first major professional sports franchise in the Carolinas. The&nbsp;team led the NBA in attendance during its inaugural season in 1988-89 and went on to do so seven straight times from 1990-91 to 1996-97, recording 364 consecutive sellouts from December 23, 1988, through November 21, 1997.

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Hornets Preparing To Celebrate 35th Anniversary Of Inaugural Season In 2023-24

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Kelly Oubre Jr. Selected As 2nd Annual Rick Bonnell Award Winner

April 7, 2023 – The Charlotte Hornets announced today that veteran guard Kelly Oubre Jr. has been named this season’s recipient of the team’s Rick Bonnell Award. The Rick Bonnell Award, named after the team’s longtime Charlotte Observer beat writer who passed away suddenly in June 2021, is given annually to the Hornets player who best represents himself and the franchise with professionalism and cooperation in his interactions with the media. Oubre Jr. received the award from Bonnell’s daughter, Claire, during an on-court presentation prior to tonight’s game vs. Houston. A 16-person panel of Charlotte media members voted on the award, with Oubre Jr. garnering the most votes.

“I’m very grateful to receive the Rick Bonnell Award for this season,” said Oubre Jr. “My teammates and I understand the value and importance of working with the media and are honored to continue his legacy and passion for basketball here in Charlotte. Thank you to the media members that cover our team who selected me for this honor. We appreciate their work telling all our stories.”

In addition to tonight’s award, the Charlotte Hornets Foundation created the Rick Bonnell Memorial Scholarship, an annual $10,000 scholarship which was awarded for the second time this season. Bianca Rodriguez, a first-generation college student at UNC Charlotte, was selected as this year’s award winner. Bonnell, an award-winning sportswriter for more than 33 years at the Charlotte Observer whose coverage of the Hornets spanned from the franchise’s inaugural 1988-89 season through the 2020-21 campaign, passed away on June 1, 2021, at the age of 63. Last year, the Charlotte Hornets Foundation awarded its inaugural Rick Bonnell Memorial Scholarship to Noah Monroe, a Concord, N.C., native and student at the University of North Carolina.

April 7, 2023 – Charlotte Hornets President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Mitch Kupchak announced today the team has signed guard Kobi Simmons to a multiyear contract and forward Xavier Sneed to a Two-Way contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Simmons, who originally signed a Two-Way contract with the Hornets on March 30, has scored 1,803 points in three seasons (2019-21, 22-23) with the Greensboro Swarm, an all-time record for the Hornets’ G League affiliate. In 98 contests (78 starts) with the Swarm, Simmons has averaged 18.4 points (46.2 FG%, 36.2 3P%, 78.9 FT%), 4.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 33.5 minutes per game. Prior to the Swarm, he spent two seasons with the Memphis Hustle and the Cleveland Charge.

After averaging 12.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 31.2 minutes per game across 32 contests (all starts) with the Swarm this season, Sneed signed a 10-day contract with the Hornets on March 28. He made his NBA debut last season, appearing in nine games with Memphis and Utah, and he has suited up for three contests with the Hornets this year, including totaling an NBA career-high nine points against Toronto on April 2.

He also played 15 games (14 starts) in 2021-22 with the Salt Lake City Stars and the Swarm, averaging 15.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 31.6 minutes per game. Sneed logged 13 contests with the Swarm in 2020-21.

With the two transactions, the Hornets roster stands at 17 players.

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Hornets Sign Simmons And Sneed

April 4, 2023 – The Charlotte Hornets Foundation announced today that its annual Education Grant has been awarded to Charlotte-based The Nest Academy, a K-12 private school founded to change the life trajectory of refugee, immigrant, underprivileged and at-risk children. The $25,000 grant was used to create an urban community garden – including enclosing the necessary space and purchasing 12 tower gardens that allow the students to grow fruits and vegetables for the school’s Farm to Table lunch program – and to purchase 40 Chromebooks.

Tomorrow at 12:30 p.m., Hornets player Kai Jones will visit&nbsp;The Nest Academy to help students finish a paint-by-numbers mural in the new space – designed by North Carolina-based illustrator and muralist Raman Bhardwaj – that represents the growth and inclusivity the garden will foster.

“We are proud to have this year’s Education Grant support&nbsp;youth at The Nest Academy,” said Hornets Sports & Entertainment President & Vice Chairman Fred Whitfield. “What they’re doing to educate, enrich and empower children who are at great risk of slipping through the cracks – many of whom will become first-generation&nbsp;high school graduates – is remarkable. We can’t wait to watch all that these students will accomplish.”

“We greatly appreciate the Charlotte Hornets Foundation for supporting our school and the dozens of children we serve,” said The Nest Academy Head of School and Founder Mary Catherine Hildreth. “Through our trauma-informed, holistic approach to education, we’ve helped hundreds of students overcome educational barriers and obstacles in an environment that gives them great hope, love and acceptance. This incredible donation will enable us to empower our kids for many years to come.”

Founded in 2009 to offer the “gift of education” to five refugee&nbsp;girls whose circumstances had stunted their academic success, the academy now serves approximately 50 students in grades K-12 and is located within the Simmons YMCA in East Charlotte.

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Charlotte Hornets Foundation Awards Annual $25,000 Education Grant To Charlotte-Based The Nest Academy

March 31, 2023&nbsp;– The Charlotte Hornets and Bank of America tonight announced local entrepreneur Kevin Gatlin and his unique line of bedsheets and slumber bags for kids, Playtime Edventures, was selected as the winner of the third annual Hornets Innovation Summit Presented by Bank of America and a $15,000 investment from the organization.&nbsp;The announcement was made during tonight’s game between the Hornets and Chicago Bulls.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Playtime Edventures makes a variety of functional and educational bedding products designed to transform any child’s bed into an exciting “edventure.” Its best-selling product, the playtime bedsheet, has over 60 interactive games for kids to explore, play and learn, and features five languages, including Mandarin, Spanish, French and ASL. The full product line – including reversible slumber bags, story-time pillowcases and disposable fitted-sheet play pads – was originally created for children in hospitals and shelters as an alternative to excessive use of electronic devices and television. Playtime Edventures was selected from four finalists by a panel of five judges that included Hornets Sports & Entertainment Executive Vice President & Spectrum Center General Manager Donna Julian, Bank of America Business Banking Market Manager Thomas Parks, The Lonely Entrepreneur Founder & CEO Michael Dermer, Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Charlotte CEO Gris Bailey and Weathered Souls Brewing Owner Marcus Baskerville.

In its third year, this year’s Hornets Innovation Summit received over 100 applications that were submitted online and included a one-minute video pitch. Fourteen applicants moved on to the second round, in which their video pitches were posted on&nbsp;hornets.com&nbsp;and social media for fan voting. Taking fan voting into account, as well as the initial pitches, an internal committee selected the four pitches in the final round, where Playtime Edventures was joined by curated self-care company Deauxs Lifestyle, Durham-based book café Rofhiwa Books and mobile cabana and bar experience Sipsy Cabanas.

The four finalists presented their final pitches to the panel of judges in a live event at Spectrum Center on March 22 that was streamed on&nbsp;hornets.com. A recording of the event is available on&nbsp;hornets.com/innovation-summit&nbsp;and&nbsp;YouTube.com/hornets.&nbsp; In addition to the four pitches, the event featured two speakers sharing insights and business advice for entrepreneurs: Hornets Sports & Entertainment Managing Partner Curtis Polk and Hornets player Kelly Oubre Jr., who debuted his clothing brand Dope$oul in 2021. &nbsp;

As part of Hornets Sports & Entertainment’s focus on economic mobility, the Hornets Innovation Summit Presented by Bank of America was launched in 2021 to provide social and financial capital for its participants. For the third straight year, every applicant received one year of complimentary resources from The Lonely Entrepreneur, a national nonprofit that provides current and aspiring entrepreneurs with knowledge, tools and support to grow businesses. Tonight, all second-round contestants, as well as the panel of judges, were invited to a special networking event at Spectrum Center to provide further social capital and awareness among participating businesses.&nbsp;

In his live pitch, Gatlin shared social media videos showcasing how his products help entertain, teach and uplift kids during extended and short-term hospital stays, as well as within their homes. He also cited that as a “mission-based” company, a portion of the funding would be used to donate products to local hospitals and shelters.

“The Hornets really put their foot forward into the community in regard to helping minorities,” said Gatlin in a video call with Oubre, who shared he was this year’s Innovation Summit winner. “This is a really great opportunity for us. It took a team to create Playtime Edventures and to get our products into the hands of kids who really need them. We’re really happy to now have the Hornets as part of our team.”&nbsp;

The Hornets Innovation Summit Presented by Bank of America was open to entrepreneurs and businesses located within 150 miles of Spectrum Center that are at least 51% operated and controlled by minority group members (i.e., individuals who are at least 25% Asian, Black, Hispanic or Native American), matching the criteria&nbsp;used by the National Minority Supplier Development Council for the Minority Business Enterprise Certification.

The previous two winners of the Hornets Innovation Summit&nbsp;–&nbsp;Brandi Long’s product, the Jurse, and Elizabeth Escobar’s bilingual job platform, Hay Trabajo&nbsp;–&nbsp;have seen tremendous success following their participation in the event. In 2021, Long experienced an 88 percent increase in sales of the Jurse, a convenient product that transitions from a jacket to a purse as well as an increase of more than 150,000 percent in website visits. Last year, Hay Trabajo saw a 41 percent increase in subscribers following Escobar’s win and formed partnerships with more than a dozen new businesses and nonprofits, helping them to identify and hire Spanish-speaking or bilingual talent.

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Kevin Gatlin’s “Playtime Edventures” Selected As Winner Of Third Hornets Innovation Summit Presented By Bank Of America

March 31, 2023 – The Charlotte Hornets tonight honored Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) Executive Director of Athletics Ericia Turner as part of the season-long Social Justice Power Forward Program, an initiative launched this season by Hornets Sports & Entertainment. Turner, who assumed her role with CMS in 2021, is the fifth and final individual to be recognized this season for making a difference in the realm of social justice issues. She was recognized in an on-court presentation during the team’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls. 

Turner, who is the first African American woman to hold the position of CMS Executive Director of Athletics, played basketball at both the University of North Carolina and North Carolina A&T State University, earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physical education from the latter. From 1999-2009, she was a teacher and coach, first in Winston-Salem and later at CMS’ Independence and Mallard Creek High Schools. Turner received a master’s degree in school administration from Gardner-Webb University in 2008 and became Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at Newton-Conover High School the following year. After spending the 2012-13 school year as Athletic Director for the Alamance-Burlington School System, she served as Assistant Principal at Statesville High School in 2013-14 and then Principal at Statesville Middle School from 2014-2016. Turner returned to CMS as Principal at Rocky River High School from 2016-2021, where she was CMS Principal of the Year in 2020, before assuming her current position.

Turner, who is widely known for placing equal emphasis on the importance of academic and athletic excellence, obtained an Ed.S from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and is currently pursuing an Ed.D from UNCG. She also serves as an associate minister and Christian education director at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Hickory, NC.&nbsp;

In addition to Turner, four individuals have been recognized through the Social Justice Power Forward Program during the 2022-23 season, for powering through obstacles and pushing forward a positive impact: You Can Vote Executive Director and Founder Kate Fellman, Carolina Youth Coalition Executive Director and Co-Founder Aaron Randolph, Johnson C. Smith University President Clarence D. Armbrister and Bank of America Strategic Initiatives Executive Kathryn Black. More information can be found at&nbsp;hornets.com/social-justice-power-forward-program.