Why the Hornets Will Be A Must Watch Team on League Pass in 2024-25

Matt Alquiza | Aug 5, 2024

Jan 24, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) dribbles on Detroit Pistons guard Monte Morris (5) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The average NBA fan hasn't had much reason to watch the Charlotte Hornets over the years. A lack of consistency, star power, and ultimately, wins, in Charlotte have failed to garner the interest of hoop heads at large. That will change in 2024 and beyond.

Annually, Zach Lowe of ESPN publishes his NBA League Pass rankings. Charlotte entered last season at number 21 in Lowe's rankings, a fair estimation of their general interest among all 30 NBA franchises. ESPN's senior NBA writer ranks teams based on five different categories: General interest, highlight potential, strategy/style, league pass minutia, and unintentional comedy.

In some of those categories, Charlotte is a no doubt must-watch.

As for Lowe's "league pass minutia," Charlotte generally receives top marks. The color scheme is fantastic. The Hornets' purple and teal is the one of the best color swatches in professional sports, making the team's uniforms, court, and general aura aesthetically pleasing.

The announcing duo of Eric Collins and Dell Curry make even the most boring Hornets vs. Wizards tilt in the ides of March feel like a big game. Collins has an innate ability to call big plays professionally while radiating the joy of a kid who loves the game. Its a skill that few others posses, and the Hornets are lucky to have Collins on the call for 82 games a season.

On the court is where Charlotte has struggled in Lowe's rankings. I'm not breaking any news here in saying that the Hornets have failed to put a competitive outfit on the court in recent years. Apologies to Kemba Walker, Al Jefferson, and Gerald Wallace, but the team has lacked ubiquitous star power that draws in neutral fans. Stars have long drawn eyeballs to NBA courts, and the lack of stars in Charlotte have directly correlated to the lack of eyes on the franchise.

The present and future of Charlotte basketball lie in the hands of two players knocking on the door of superstardom.

LaMelo Ball is an international basketball icon. His signature shoe is a best-seller. The brash smack talk of his dad put a spotlight on LaMelo from an early age and he's shined at every level. Ball's style of play is intoxicating. When the Hornets All-Star point guard is on the floor, fireworks are in the cards at any moment. His ability to throw lobs, fit dazzling bounce passes through defenders in transition, and hit deep three pointers from whatever suburb of Charlotte is on the tip of Eric Collins' tongue make Ball a one-man show that Buzz City has lacked for decades. Lowe wants highlight potential from a potential League Pass darling? LaMelo Ball delivers it in spades. And, for the first time in his young career, he has an über-talented running mate to play alongside him.

First-team All Rookie wing Brandon Miller is the supplementary star that Ball has been waiting for. Miller's dynamic rookie season elevated his station among NBA players higher than anybody could have imagined after one trip around the NBA calendar. The potential pairing of Miller and Ball for 82 games inherently moves Charlotte up potential League Pass rankings lists based on potential alone. The duo projects to shine offensively under new head coach Charles Lee, ideally bringing an excitement to a city that has been dormant since Cam Newton was shipped off to New England.

Lee, a first-time head coach, should have Charlotte playing an exciting brand of basketball. His consistent propaganda branded "Hornets DNA" was on full display in the Summer League where Charlotte played tougher, faster, and stronger (shoutout to the 2012 Bobcats) than their opponents. The team won with effort on both ends. Ferocious defense led to fast-paced offense that got up a ton of shots. If that revamped DNA can carry over to the regular season, Charlotte will be more watchable than they have been in years.

Is this unbridled August optimism? 100%. But in a recent episode of The Lowe Post podcast, the czar of the League Pass rankings said himself that he's interested in Charlotte in 2024-25. He waxed poetic about both Ball and Miller, eventually calling the Hornets, "not a bad team." A step up from what national media members traditionally say about Charlotte. If they say anything at all.

For the Hornets to make a big jump up the imaginary League Pass, it will take a leap from both Ball and Miller. In the spirit of the Olympics, I believe it's safe to project a triple jump from Charlotte in 2024 and beyond.