CHARLOTTE - Charles Lee wants his Hornets to do more than show up at the arena. He wants them present around town, too.
That message came through loud and clear over the weekend, when Lee was in attendance at Brandon Miller’s first-ever Brandon Miller Celebrity Pickleball Classic - Paddle for Purpose and even took part in the event himself. The outing supported causes tied to food assistance, health awareness, education, mentorship and basketball camps for young people.
When Lee spoke with the media, he made it clear that being part of Charlotte means being visible in Charlotte.
“I definitely want them to be connected to our community," he stated. "I think number one, we all need each other to be successful; it’s like what I preach a ton to the team.
And part of meeting each other is fan support in the community, and these guys got to get out there and don’t walk around on your headphones and not talk to people. Get out there when you’re in the grocery store and say hi, sign some autographs, do community service outreach programs, and find what you are passionate about.
I think that’s what these guys have done a great job of, and when I see the pictures and hear them talking that they’re going to attend each other’s events, it kind of warms your heart as a coach.”
For Lee, that kind of involvement isn’t a side note. It’s part of the job.
The Hornets have long been active in the community, and Lee framed that as something that has to stay central to the franchise’s future. That matters even more with a roster that feels more seasoned than the group Charlotte has had in recent years. There are players who have been around the league, seen plenty of basketball and understand that connection with the city is part of building something real.
There’s also the fan side of this equation. A portion of the base, as the source notes, may have drifted away after the LaMelo Ball trade. Rebuilding that bond is going to take effort from the top of the organization down to the players themselves.
Lee’s point was simple, and it landed: when Hornets players are out in public, a small moment can go a long way. A hello, a signature, a quick conversation - those are the kinds of things that stick with people.
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