CBCharlotte Bobcats

Franchise history

The Bobcats were an entirely new expansion franchise awarded to Charlotte in December 2002, distinct from the original Hornets, which had just relocated to New Orleans that year. Founding owner Robert L. Johnson, the BET founder, became the first Black majority owner in major U.S. professional sports when the team began play in the 2004-05 season. Michael Jordan joined as a minority owner and head of basketball operations in 2006, then took majority control in 2010, becoming the first former NBA player to majority-own a franchise.

The Bobcats were rarely competitive, making the playoffs only once (2010) in their ten seasons and getting swept in the first round. The low point came in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season, when the team finished 7-59 — a .106 winning percentage, the worst in NBA history. In 2014, the NBA ruled that the original 1988-2002 Hornets name and history belonged to Charlotte rather than New Orleans, and the Bobcats rebranded as the Charlotte Hornets, ending the Bobcats era.

Sources

• Charlotte Bobcats — Wikipedia
• 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats season — Wikipedia