Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

1988–89 Charlotte Hornets season

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Head coach
  
Dick Harter

Arena
  
Charlotte Coliseum

Playoff finish
  
Did Not Qualify

Owner(s)
  
George Shinn

Record
  
20–62 (.244)

Place
  
Division: 6th (Atlantic) Conference: 12th (Eastern)

The 1988–89 Charlotte Hornets season was Charlotte's inaugural season in the National Basketball Association. The Hornets, along with the Miami Heat, began play as expansion teams during the season. Led by ex-Pistons guard Kelly Tripucka, The Hornets finished the season with a record of 20 wins and 62 losses, and led the NBA in attendance, becoming the first expansion team to do so. Charlotte also set an all-time NBA attendance record, which was broken by Minnesota the following season.

Contents

Expansion draft

The team's roster was filled as a result of an expansion draft in 1988. In a coin flip, the Hornets earned the right to choose either the higher choice in the college draft or the first pick in the expansion draft, picking the former. Most teams use such drafts to pick young players and guarantee a future, but Charlotte chose veterans in order to get a competitive lineup right away.

  • ^ Traded for Kelly Tripucka from the Utah Jazz
  • ^ Waived before the season.
  • ^ Traded for Robert Reid from the Houston Rockets.
  • ^ Sent to Portland Trail Blazers.

    • Also sent were Kurt Rambis of the Los Angeles Lakers and Earl Cureton of the Philadelphia 76ers.

    NBA Draft

    Subsequent to the expansion draft, Charlotte was given the eight pick in the 1988 NBA Draft. They selected Rex Chapman, a shooting guard out of University of Kentucky.

    Regular season

    The Hornets played their first season in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. The team's first official NBA game took place on November 4, 1988, at the Charlotte Coliseum, and was a 133–93 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite the huge loss, the Hornets received a standing ovation at the end of the game. November 8, 1988, the team won their first game over the Los Angeles Clippers, 117–105. On December 23, 1988, the Hornets defeated Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls 103–101 at the buzzer in Jordan's first return to North Carolina as a professional. During the season, Kelly Tripucka led the franchise with 22.6 points per game. Despite the Hornets mostly poor play (typical for an expansion franchise), the Hornets led the NBA in attendance during the season.

    Season standings

    z – clinched division title y – clinched division title x – clinched playoff spot

    Awards and records

  • Rex Chapman, NBA All-Rookie Team 2nd Team

    • Transactions

  • July 1, 1988

    • Released Clinton Wheeler.

  • July 18, 1988

    • Signed Earl Cureton as a free agent.

    Traded Bernard Thompson to the Houston Rockets for Robert Reid and a 1990 2nd round draft pick (Steve Scheffler was later selected).

  • July 28, 1988

    • Signed Kurt Rambis as an unrestricted free agent.

  • August 17, 1988

    • Signed Tim Kempton as a free agent.

  • October 6, 1988

    • Signed Brian Rowsom as a free agent.

  • October 17, 1988

    • Released Sedric Toney.

  • December 30, 1988

    • Waived Tom Tolbert.

  • February 22, 1989

    • Waived Rickey Green.

  • March 27, 1989

    • Signed Sidney Lowe to the first of two 10-day contracts.

  • March 29, 1989

    • Signed Greg Kite to a contract for the rest of the season.

    Waived Ralph Lewis.

    References

    1988–89 Charlotte Hornets season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA