All Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets DNA Is Changing Right Before Our Eyes

Matt Alquiza

Mark Williams, Grant Williams, and Charles Lee hanging courtside.
Mark Williams, Grant Williams, and Charles Lee hanging courtside. / Image via The Charlotte Observer.
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Things feel different about the Charlotte Hornets this summer.

It has nothing to do with the winning, although that is impressive. The Hornets are undefeated in five games over two summer league sessions in California and Las Vegas, and they've looked strong doing it. The positive feels come from pretty much everything else outside of the dazzing win/loss record.

The effort from start to finish in the Summer League games has been downright inspiring. Summer League is meant for guys like Zavier Simpson, Matt Morgan, and Jake Stephens to prove their worth to an NBA franchise in game-like settings. Those three and the rest of the Hornets summer roster have busted their tail for 40 minutes straight every time they take the floor. Passionate defense, constant movement on offense, getting out in transition, and sticking hands in the passing lanes are a few examples of the all-out, start to finish effort. It's truly impressive work from a group of guys that are totally bought in.

Charles Lee is saying all of the right things. He's spoken at length since his appointment in Charlotte of this newfound "Hornets DNA" that he is trying to bring to Charlotte. Schuyler Callihan of All Hornets detailed more about Lee's interview with the ESPN broadcasting crew from earlier this week where he spoke again about the change in the franchise's attitude, but this specific part of Lee's interview stood out. "The focus is building consistent habits. We have to learn how to win, and we have to consistently do that. And I think that if we just focus on coming in every day, working as hard as we can, competing as hard as we can, and staying together through the ups and downs of the season... we're gonna have a lot of success."

That's what we already see happening on the floor with the Summer Leauge squad, and last night, we saw it with the varsity Hornets squad as well. They had their back turned to the ESPN broadcast cameras, but they were very noticable during in-game action. The entire Hornets roster (sans Josh Green and Vasilije Micic who are preparing for the Olympics with their national teams, and Reggie Jackson) pulled up to Vegas to watch the Summer League Hornets. The rostered players sat court side with members of the coaching staff (Charles Lee and Kemba Walker, notably) and Jeff Petersen of the front office to take in the win. That means something.

Both Nick Smith:

And Summer League head coach Josh Longstaff praised the organizational congruency that was shown on the floor in Vegas last night.

I've followed the Bobcats/Hornets for a long time, and the vibes around the team have never been this positive. All of that may change come October when the team competes in regular season for the first time under the new regime, but everything is moving in a positive direction as the season nears. An NBA organization becomes dangerous when they are bought in top to bottom from ownership to the 15th man on the roster, and that is finally happening in Charlotte. Ownership, the General Manager, the head coach, and the roster are all on the same timeline, pushing in the same direction in pursuit of bringing a Larry O'Brien trophy to the Queen City, and it is a beautiful sight.

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Matt Alquiza
MATT ALQUIZA

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