June 15, 2015 – Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that center Al Jefferson has exercised his player option for the 2015-16 season.
Jefferson appeared in 65 games with 61 starts last season, averaging 16.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 blocks in 30.6 minutes. He ranked 19th in the NBA in rebounding, tied for 22nd in blocks, ranked 33rd in field-goal percentage (.481) and tied for 33rd in scoring. Despite missing 17 games due to injury, Jefferson led the team with 53 double-figure scoring games, 23 games of 20 points or more, 24 double-figure rebounding games and 22 double-doubles.
Originally signed as a free agent on July 10, 2013, Jefferson was named Third Team All-NBA following the 2013-14 season, marking his first time earning All-NBA honors. Jefferson averaged team highs of 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds during the 2013-14 season, while leading the team to a 22-win increase from the previous season. He was the only player in the Eastern Conference and one of only five players in the NBA to average over 20.0 points and 10.0 rebounds. He finished the season ranked eighth in the NBA in rebounding, 11th in scoring, 23rd in field goal percentage (.509), 29th in blocks (1.1) and tied for 30th in minutes played (35.0).
In 11 NBA seasons with Charlotte, Utah, Minnesota and Boston, Jefferson has played in 766 career games with 631 starts. He has career averages of 17.0 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 31.1 minutes, while shooting .499 from the field (5570-11160) and .710 from the free-throw line (1846-2601).
Hornets Sports & Entertainment owns the Charlotte Hornets and operates Charlotte’s Time Warner Cable Arena. The Charlotte Hornets are a member of the NBA’s Southeast Division. Owned by NBA Legend Michael Jordan, the Hornets organization strives to deliver a relentless attack on the court, an unmatched experience in the stands and a positive impact throughout the community. The name of the city’s original NBA team from 1988-2002, the Hornets moniker returned to Charlotte in May 2014, uniting the rich history of NBA basketball in the Carolinas. Time Warner Cable Arena is the premier destination for sports and entertainment in the Carolinas, hosting over 150 sporting events, concerts and family shows annually. For more information, please visit hornets.com or timewarnercablearena.com.
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