Longtime NBA veteran gives Charles Lee his flowers despite rough start with Hornets

Taj Gibson, who's played for a number of NBA coaches, had some praise for Charles Lee.
Nov 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee reacts during the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Nov 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee reacts during the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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Despite the injuries and overall poor record, Charles Lee continues to get recognition for his work with the Charlotte Hornets. He got a shoutout for his efforts from NBA analyst Zach Harper, and today got some love from one of the oldest active players in the NBA.

Taj Gibson shouts out Charles Lee on Hornets podcast

Taj Gibson has played for a multitude of coaches during his 16-year, seven-team NBA career. His latest, Charles Lee, is just over a year older than Gibson, who had nothing but praise for the first-year coach. "I see his attributes, I see how he carries himself," Gibson said. "He's awesome."

Gibson went on, "Each day, I tell him just keep leading us. People don't understand, he's just really a player's coach. He's doing a fantastic job as far as managing the attitudes, setting boundaries, setting goals." He added that Lee's Hornets are "something fun to be a part of."

Lee has managed to keep the Hornets competitive in almost all of their games despite a plethora of injuries. Those injuries in the frontcourt, which have since tapered off, led to a few starts and more minutes this year than the 16-year veteran might have anticipated. Regardless, Gibson likes what he sees from the first-year coach.

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