Year City Team Name 1988–2002 Charlotte, NC Hornets 2002–2004 Charlotte, NC Bobcats 2005–2007 Oklahoma City, OK Bobcats 2007–2013 New Orleans, LA Hornets 2013–Present New Orleans, LA Pelicans The Return of the Hornets and the Final Transition The history took another fascinating turn in 2007 when the franchise that had become the Bobcats reclaimed the Hornets name. The Charlotte Hornets Era: The Original Identity Established in 1988, the franchise that would eventually become the Pelicans first took the court in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Charlotte Hornets Legacy: Tracing the Franchise Before the Pelicans
The Move to New Orleans In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the future of the Charlotte franchise hung in the balance. When tracing the lineage of the current New Orleans Pelicans, the story begins not in the sweltering heat of the Crescent City, but in the corporate offices that decided the fate of the Charlotte Hornets.
This period defined the early identity of the organization, establishing a fanbase and a market presence that would prove crucial for the future, even though the geographic location would eventually change. The name "Bobcats" was chosen to reflect the state's native wildlife, aiming for a fierce and independent identity that was distinct from the history they were leaving behind in North Carolina.
The Charlotte Hornets Era Before the New Orleans Pelicans
This occurred when the original Charlotte Hornets relocated to New Orleans and assumed the Pelicans identity, allowing the Bobcats to inherit the historic Hornets name and records. For a time, the league featured two Hornets teams, but the confusion was temporary.
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