Charles Lee receives sterling recommendation from former boss, Suns coach Mike Budenholzer

Charles Lee's receives praise from his mentor.

Jan 3, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee looks on in the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

99% of sports fans are unhappy with their current head coaching situation. Armchair quarterbacks are awfully quick to dismiss the tendencies, rotations, and in-game decisions of their franchise's leader as they dream of the green grass that could be lying on the other side.

In the case of the Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee, it didn't take long for the fan base to decide that Lee was the main issue behind the teams 8-27 start to the 2024-25 season.

Those trigger happy fans have been too quick to pile on the Hornets' first-year shot caller. Lee was hired by the Hornets due to his impeccable reputation across the Association, his multiple NBA championship rings, and a handful of sterling recommendations from his former bosses.

One of those former bosses, Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer, spoke at length about what makes Lee the type of head coach that is worth building a program around.

Budenholzer: He's a great coach and an even better person

Suns Coach Mike Budenholzer on what it’s like to see @hornets Head Coach Charles Lee in his first NBA Head Coaching gig.

Lee’s first NBA assistant job was under Budenholzer in Atlanta. #HiveMentality pic.twitter.com/ucvG1igXZS

— Will Palaszczuk (@WilliePStyle) January 7, 2025

"Charles is a very, very special person. I just could not be happier for him. I think about how much he helped me. We were both probably pretty young going through this, and how we've both grown. He's a great coach, but he's an even better person. I think his ability to communicate with players, to hold players accountable, to help them grow and improve, now taking that to the head coaching position is just..it's been kind of fun for me to observe from a distance."

The emotion shown by Budenholzer in the clip is raw. His reverence for Lee shouldn't cause fans to double down on their frustrations with the rookie head coach, it should galvanize them to continue believing in the leader that has been given the keys to the Charlotte Hornets.

Lee's first cut his teeth in the NBA coaching ranks with Budenholzer in Atlanta. Sideline reporter Shannon Spake asked Lee pregame about the duties he performed in his maiden coaching job with the Hawks. "My first year was really just trying to learn the NBA game, the terminology. I did a ton of player development and worked really closely with Kenny Atkinson to understand how does that whole day-to-day go in putting together plans and figuring out the schedule."

Budenholzer, the master, was schooled by his student in their first meeting as head coaches. Charles Lee's upstart Hornets were led by LaMelo Ball as they took down the Suns 114-105 in the Spectrum Center on Monday night, snapping a ten-game losing streak as Charlotte sets out for a Western Conference road trip.

Charlotte's next contest will be on Thursday night against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

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