From 00 to 88: The best player to wear each number in Hornets/Bobcats history (2024)

It’s sometimes easy to forget the parade of players who trickle through a franchise, especially with free agency prevailing at the rate it does these days.

They shuffle in and out, with some never being heard from in the league again while others are brought back for a second tour of duty later in their careers. Keeping track and remembering it all can be akin to a game of trivia.

So in looking back at 30 seasons of the Charlotte Hornets, which is intertwined historically with the 10 years they were named the Bobcats, I thought it would be fun to break down who the best players were to wear each jersey number. This is about their time sporting Charlotte garb, not necessarily their career as a whole.

Some were simple to pick, given the stature of those who are pillars of the city’s pro basketball landscape. And there are a few that were only donned by one person, rendering mulling over a certain selection between two individuals unnecessary. Others were slightly debatable.

Shall we go ahead and get to it already?

(Editor’s note: Current players are in italics)

00: Spencer Hawes

Part of the deal that also brought Matt Barnes to town from the LA Clippers in exchange for Lance Stephenson, Spencer Hawes was serviceable in his year and a half with the organization. He was a rotational piece in the last season the Hornets made the playoffs (2016), suffering a right MCL sprain in Game 5 against Miami that sidelined him for the final two games of the series.

Honorable mention: Robert Parish

0: Bismack Biyombo

This is not his current number (that would be No. 8), but instead the one Bismack Biyombo wore during his first stint with the franchise. He’s carved out a nice role and become a solid contributor in the center rotation. He’s actually having his highest-scoring season of his career and is tied for his best season assist-wise as well.

The rest: Miles Bridges, Tony Delk, Larry Hughes, Theron Smith, Briante Weber

1: Muggsy Bogues

Easily one of the greatest players in franchise history and someone who played much taller than his 5-3 height, Muggsy Bogues holds team records that haven’t been sniffed by others for nearly two decades. He’s the all-time leader in assists (5,557) and steals (1,067). He also was the career leader in games started with 501 and minutes (19,768) until Kemba Walker topped the marks.

Honorable mention: Baron Davis

The rest: Derek Anderson, Andre Brown, Jason Hart, Ryan Hollins, Courtney Lee, Cartier Martin, Malik Monk, Stephen Jackson, Kemba Walker

2: Larry Johnson

With that rare combination of power and grace paired with a jumping ability that seemed like he was bouncing off a trampoline, Larry Johnson was one of a kind. He was a force from the get-go, earning first-team rookie honors in 1992 and followed it up with that first-team All-NBA selection a year later in helping the Hornets reach the playoffs for the first time in the team’s short history. Just imagine if he didn’t hurt his back …

Honorable mention: Marvin Williams

The rest: Stacey Augmon, Scott Burrell, DeSagana Diop, Melvin Ely, Dontell Jefferson, Acie Law, Shaun Livingston

3: Gerald Wallace

Nicknamed “Crash” for the way he threw his body around almost recklessly in pursuit of winning, few were as intense defensively as Gerald Wallace. He’s one of only four players in franchise history who’ve garnered all-defensive honors and he’s the only one to get a first-team nod. He was an All-Star, too. He’s also Charlotte’s all-time leader in defensive rebounds with 5,798.

Honorable mention: Rex Chapman

The rest: Hersey Hawkins, Jeremy Lamb, Eldridge Recasner, Khalid Reeves, Terry Rozier

4: David Wesley

A streaky shooter with feistiness who could defend, David Wesley was a fixture as the starting shooting guard for five seasons. The 17.6 points per game he averaged in 2000-01 were unmatched in any of his other 14 years in the league and the 37.9 percent showing from 3-point range wasn’t too bad, either.

The rest: Jeff Adrien, Derrick Brown, Jared Dudley, Devonte’ Graham, Scott Hafner, Darrin Hanco*ck, Marcus Paige, Kareem Rush

5: Elden Campbell

Statistically, Elden Campbell had the most productive seasons of his career wearing Hornets’ colors. The 13.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game (1998-02) were unmatched in any of his other stops, thanks in part to the 15.3 points he averaged in the 32 games he played in immediately following his trade from Los Angeles in 1999.

The rest: Nic Batum, Walter Herrmann, Eddie House, Juwan Howard, Anthony Goldwire, Greg Grant, Donald Royal

6: Eddie Jones

Few can match the resume Eddie Jones put together with the organization. Let’s just rattle off a few of the accolades: second-team all-defense, third-team All-NBA and All-Star starter. He was the definition of an all-around player, leading the league in total steals and assists in the same season (1999-00) he averaged a career-best 20.1 points and collected all-defensive honors.

The rest: Tyson Chandler, Michael Holton, Shelvin Mack, Jalen McDaniels, Jerome Moiso, Nazr Mohammed

7: Kelly Tripucka

Kelly Tripucka played well following his arrival from Utah, displaying the skills that had him previously at All-Star levels. Those 22.6 points he posted per game represented his best output since his second season in the league and wound up being his second-highest in his career.

Honorable mention: Jeremy Lin

The rest: Rafael Addison, Dwayne Bacon, Primoz Brezec, James Blackwell, Marty Conlon, DeSagana Diop, Michael Hawkins, J.R. Reid, Ramon Sessions, Mo Williams

8: Eddie Johnson

Eddie Johnson didn’t play here long, but he was more than an adequate option in 1993-94, which was heading on the other side of the hill of his 11.5 points and 39.3 percent display beyond the 3-point arc.

The rest: Bismack Biyombo, Tony Farmer, Ben Gordon, Johnny O’Bryant, Terrance Roberson, Steve Smith, DJ White

9: Gerald Henderson

Plucked off the draft board with the team’s 12th overall selection in 2009, Gerald Henderson had a steady career with the franchise, spending all but two of his eight seasons here. He topped out with the 15.5 points per game in 2012-13.

The rest: Willie Burton, Dale Ellis, Aaron Harrison, Willy Hernangomez, George Lynch, Kevin Lynch, Mangok Mathiang, Jamario Moon, Tony Parker

10: Keith Bogans

Known more for his defense, Keith Bogans recorded his highest-scoring season (9.6 ppg) in 2004-05, his only year in Charlotte.

Honorable mention: Vladimir Radmanovic

The rest: B.J. Armstrong, Caleb Martin, Joel Przybilla, Mike Tobey, Andre Turner, Michael Carter-Williams

11: Josh McRoberts

Josh McRoberts certainly enjoyed his tenure here, given it’s where he saw his most extensive minutes — especially those 30.3 in 2013-14 when was in the starting lineup for all 78 games he played.

Honorable mention: David Wingate

The rest: Earl Boykins, Sherron Collins, Cory Higgins, Ralph Lewis, Cody Martin, Vernon Maxwell, Jason Miskin, Doug Overton, Noah Vonleh

12: Dwight Howard

Although he might not be among the most-liked individuals at times, Dwight Howard has a knack for putting up numbers and that’s what he did in his season here. He started all 81 games he played and averaged a double-double (16.6 points, 12.5 rebounds).

Honorable mention: Vlade Divac

The rest: Cory Alexander, Kenny Anderson, Shannon Brown, Kevin Burleso, Treneon Graham, Jorge Guiterrez, Tom Hammond, Steve Henson, Gary Neal, Jerry Sichting, Greg Sutton, Tyrus Thomas

13: Bobby Phills

One of the most popular players in team history — named a captain in just his second season — Bobby Phills was on the rise thanks to his versatility as a two-way player. He could defend and was adept at scoring, too. He was tragically killed in what police said was a car wreck that happened near the old Charlotte Coliseum while racing David Wesley after a morning shootaround in 2000. His jersey is the lone one that’s retired and hangs in the rafters at Spectrum Center. In 2014, the organization re-retired the jersey from the original ceremony when the team was re-branded.

Honorable mention: Kendall Gill

The rest: Matt Carroll, Nazr Mohammed, Luke Ridnour

14: Anthony Mason

“Mase” didn’t take no mess and used his chiseled frame to play his version of pinball. Hounding people on defense was among his specialties and that tenacity spurred him to being named third-team all-defense in 1997.

Honorable mention: D.J. Augustin

The rest: Rickey Green, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

15: Kemba Walker

Let’s see: He’s Charlotte’s all-time leading scorer and even Glen Rice said he’s the best Hornet ever. How can you argue? He’s No. 1 on the leaderboard in too many categories to list. Kemba Walker’s progression from a young kid who couldn’t shoot beyond the arc to evolving into a lethal scorer and three-time All-Star was impressive to witness. He’s one of two players to be named All-NBA in the team’s past 19 years.

The rest: Alan Anderson, Corey Beck, Gerald Henderson, Cedric Hunter, Ryan Hollins

17: Bryce Drew

Bryce Drew saw action in 61 games off the bench for Paul Silas in 2001-02, his one season with the Hornets.

18: Miles Plumlee

Miles Plumless spent a grand total of 13 games on the floor following a February 2017 trade from Milwaukee and was gone five months later in a deal with the Hawks for Howard.

19: Raja Bell

He revitalized his career here after not being a part of then-Phoenix coach Terry Porter’s rotation. Raja Bell started in all but one of the 50 games he logged and the 12.9 points and the 39.3 percent 3-point shooting in those contests were just short of his career marks, which came with Phoenix.

The rest: P.J. Hairston

20: Raymond Felton

The pressure was on Raymond Felton right away considering he followed Chris Paul and Deron Williams in the draft. Even though he never lived up to the lofty status associated with a top-five pick, he slowly improved statistically in each of his four seasons. He struggled from long distance, which kept him from taking that leap the coaching staff hoped he’d make, but he played well enough in the Bobcats’ first playoff appearance to drum up interest as a free agent.

The rest: Jeff Grayer, Pete Myers, Rumeal Robinson

21: Marco Belinelli

Traded for the draft rights to Malachi Richardson, Marco Belinelli came off the bench in every one of the 74 games he appeared in during his only season in town and still managed to toss in double figures. His tenure with the team was short-lived. He was included in the 2016 trade with Atlanta for Dwight Howard.

Honorable mention: Ricky Pierce

The rest: Alex Ajinca, Ricky Davis, Treveon Graham, Sidney Green, Jamaal Magloire, Eduardo Najera, Elliot Perry, Bernard Robinson, Hakim Warrick

22: Johnny Newman

A free agent signee following a good run with the New York Knicks, Johnny Newman was an underrated piece of the 1992-93 playoff team. His best seasons were with the Hornets, highlighted by his career-high 16.9 points per game in 1990-91, and he started 181 of the 218 games he played.

Honorable mention: Brevin Knight

The rest: Tom Chambers, Ronald “Flip” Murray, Byron Mullens, Brian Roberts

23: Jason Richardson

Jason Richardson produced two of his top statistical seasons in Charlotte and filled up the box score. The 21.4 points he put up per game in 2007-08 were only bested by the 23.2 he averaged in his fifth season.

Honorable mention: Derek Anderson

The rest: Michael Adams, Terry Dozier, Stephen Graham, Kobi Simmons, Tom Tolbert

24: Jamal Mashburn

Jamal Mashburn was on top of his game in his second season here, posting this line: 20.1 points, 7.6 rebounds. 5.4 assists and 1.1 steals. He kicked things up a notch in the playoffs with a 24.9 points-per-game average in 10 games that assisted in Charlotte knocking off Miami in the first round.

Honorable mention: Scott Burrell

The rest: Anthony Frederick, Othella Harrington, Jason Kapono, Michael Williams

25: Al Jefferson

Few “big name” free agents have elected to come here, but that wasn’t the case with Al Jefferson. Lured by the thought of playing with Walker, he mixed in dazzling displays when he wasn’t hampered by injuries. He chalked up third-team All-NBA honors in 2014 after averaging a double-double.

The rest: Tony Bennett, Chucky Brown, Earl Cureton, Tim James, PJ Washington, George Zidek

26: Ray Spalding

He signed with the Hornets in January and has been with their G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, the entire time.

27: Dwayne Jones

He had that six-game stint in 2008-09. Remember?

28: LeRon Ellis

The center played in 50 games, starting in one, in 1993-94.

30: Dell Curry

Is an explanation necessary? For one, Dell Curry is as associated with the team as anyone. A walking ambassador of sorts who was key on those 90s playoff teams. The league’s Sixth Man of the Year in 1993-94, he sits atop the franchise’s all-time list for games played (701) and made field goals (3,022). He’s second in made 3-pointers with 929. We could go on, but there’s no need.

The rest: Troy Daniels, Joe Wolf

31: Kurt Rambis

While his days with the Lakers — and those colorfully-rimmed glasses — may be things some think of when it comes to Kurt Rambis’ career, his best years statistically were with Charlotte. He nearly averaged a double-double in 1988-89 with 11.1 points and 9.4 rebounds, starting all 91 games.

The rest: Joe Chealey, Ron Grandison, Randolph Keys, Malik Rose, Jamal Sampson, James Southerland

32: Hersey Hawkins

Durability and accountability are two qualities that were prevalent in ‘The Hawk.” Hersey Hawkins never missed a game in his two seasons here, starting all 82 both years. That sweet-looking jumper was constantly on display, especially in 1994-95 when he shot 44.4 percent from 3-point range.

Honorable mention: Boris Diaw

The rest: Greg Kite, Tony Massenburg, Eddie Robinson, Brian Rowsom, Jeff Saunders, Julyan Stone, Tamar Slay, Travis Williams

33: Alonzo Mourning

One of the most decorated draft picks in the team’s history, Alonzo Mourning is forever immortalized and engrained into the hearts of Hornets’ fans for his buzzer-beater to lift them over the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series in 1993. In his rookie season yet. His scoring increased during his first postseason to 23.8 points per game from the 21.6 he averaged in the regular season.

The rest: Matt Carroll, Jermareo Davidson, Kenny Gattison, Hersey Hawkins, Brendan Haywood, Jumaine Jones, Charles Shackleford

34: J.R. Reid

Toughness, ruggedness and good old-fashioned bully ball are what J.R. Reid was all about. Drafted fifth overall by the Hornets in 1989, he played three-plus seasons in Charlotte and averaged 11 or more points in each of the first three prior to being traded to San Antonio in 1992.

The rest: Robert Traylor, Tony Smith

35: Adam Morrison

If ever there was a pick they would probably like to have back, well, you know. Adam Morrison lost his starting spot in his rookie season because of his shooting woes and defensive issues, and tore his ACL in the preseason of his second year. It never got better from there.

The rest: Malik Allen, Lonny Baxter, Richard Anderson, Gerald Glass, Kirk Haston, Donald Hodge, Sidney Lowe, Christian Wood

39: Tom Tolbert

You may have forgotten about Tom Tolbert’s second tour with the team, that 10-game stint in 1994-95. It wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing if you did.

40: Cody Zeller

Although Cody Zeller isn’t the most athletically-gifted individual and his game isn’t always pretty, his importance to the team was underscored with their deeply sub.-500 record without him. Injuries have been his Achilles heel, but he stayed healthy this season and produced.

The rest: Frank Brickowski, Brad Miller, Lorenzo Williams

41: Glen Rice

One of the best shooters to ever lace them up for the organization, Glen Rice’s shot always felt like it was going directly into the net once it left his fingertips. He was the first three-time All-Star in team history (Walker later joined him), earning the game’s MVP award in 1997, and also was a two-time All-NBA selection.

The rest: Elden Campbell, Justin Hamilton, Tim Kempton, Garrett Temple

42: P.J. Brown

Better watch those long arms and elbows when he was around, which is why he was named second team all-defense. P.J. Brown was the chairman of the boards with the Hornets, recording his best two seasons rebounding-wise after hauling in 9.3 per game in 2000-01 and 9.8 in 2001-02.

Honorable mention: Mike Gminski

The rest: Dave Hoppen, Michael McDonald, Sean May, Theo Ratliff

43: Anthony Tolliver

Although his one season with the team wasn’t anything special, Anthony Tolliver did start in nine of 64 contests he played.

The rest: LeRon Ellis, Linton Johnson, Jake Voskuhl, Joe Wolf

44: Derrick Coleman

No one ever questioned Derrick Coleman’s knack for putting the ball in the bucket. His attitude and carefree nature were, though. Case in point: there was a stretch the Hornets were 34-14 without Coleman and 12-22 with him. What a character and even though his infamous, “Whoop-de-damn-do” line didn’t come with the Hornets, it still is worth mentioning, well, just because.

The rest: Dante Cunningham, Kenny Gattison, Frank Kaminsky, Sean Singletary, Jeffrey Taylor

45: Armen Gilliam

A bruising power forward who spent 13 seasons in the league, Armen Gilliam enjoyed his best years as a pro statistically during his time in Charlotte. Acquired from Phoenix in 1990, he started all but one of the 85 games he appeared in with the Hornets, bullying his way and averaging 19.1 points and nine rebounds.

The rest: Eric Leckner, Chuck Person

50: Emeka Okafor

Picked No. 2 overall behind Howard in 2004, Emeka Okafor was the face of the new expansion team once pro basketball returned to Charlotte. Joining Johnson as the only players in the franchise’s history to be named rookie of the year, he averaged a double-double in his four seasons, and was in the NBA’s Rising Stars game as a rookie and second-year player.

The rest: Matt Bullard, Jamie Feick, Tyler Hansbrough, Corey Maggette, Robert Reid

52: Matt Geiger

Matt Geiger’s game blossomed a bit once he landed with the Hornets following his initial three years in Miami. Two of the three seasons he registered double digits in points came in Charlotte.

Honorable mention: Chucky Brown

The rest: Todd Fuller, Otis Thorpe

54: Lee Nailon

In his second season in the league, Lee Nailon put up numbers he couldn’t top — or duplicate for that matter — for nearly three years. One of the first players in team history to participate in the NBA’s Rising Stars game, he was shot 48.3 percent from the floor and averaged 10.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in 2001-02.

The rest: Michael Ansley, Kwame Brown, Jason Maxiell

55: David Wingate

A serviceable reserve during those three seasons in the mid-90s, David Wingate had his role carved out on the playoff teams in ’93 and ’95. Anyone remember that game in 1992 against the team that drafted him (Philadelphia) when he played 41 minutes off the bench and scored 23 points, missing just one of 11 attempts?

The rest: Roy Hibbert, Derek Hood, Stuart Gray, JP Macura, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Steve Scheffler, Jahidi White, Reggie Williams

88: Eric Williams

Traded to Charlotte from San Antonio in 2007 along with a second-round pick, Eric Williams played the final five games of his career here before getting waived to clear roster space for the team to sign Alan Anderson.

(Top photo of Muggsy Bogues and Larry Johnson: Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE via Getty Images)