Petey Pablo is about to give the Spectrum Center a dose of North Carolina pride, and Grant Williams is ready for it.
The Charlotte native said he loves the song that has become the state’s unofficial anthem and wants to see it treated like a staple around Hornets games.
“I love that song, man,” said Williams in a sit-down with Charlotte Hornets On SI. “I think it should be a staple (at Hornets games) in the same way that people used to get crunk to Whoop That Trick in Memphis and all different things. I think that same energy needs to be brought to Petey Pablo and that song.”
Petey Pablo is scheduled to perform at halftime of the Hornets’ home opener tonight, and Williams said he plans to keep his celebration strictly from a distance while he recovers from a hamstring injury.
“I think Charles (Lee) would kill me if I tried to go outside,” Williams joked. “I'd rather stay in the locker room and just see the video from my fiancée or my mom after.”
While Petey Pablo will handle the halftime spotlight, Williams and several Hornets have been pushing for the crowd to bring the energy from the opening tip.
“Gotta be rowdy,” said Liam McNeeley when asked about his expectations for the home-opening crowd. “Pull up, and show out!” echoed Brandon Miller.
That kind of atmosphere is exactly what Williams remembers from Charlotte’s Play-In win over the Miami Heat, the last time the Spectrum Center hosted a truly meaningful game.
“It helps you, you know? You'll never need motivation to go into a game, but there's never an issue or problem having a level of support around you like there was that night,” Williams said.
“The fans were there (for the Play-In Tournament). They were loud.
They were intimidating... And we we're the team that started it.
And so now for them to join us and feel comfortable and to have that same intensity and care for the organization that we do, it just makes you even more proud to be a part of it.”
Williams is out tonight, but the home opener still carries extra meaning for him. He recently welcomed his first child, a baby girl, and said fatherhood has shifted the way he views nights like this one.
“It’s a special time. A special thing to witness, you know? It's just a unique experience that's hard to describe in words until you have it yourself.”
He also said he feels strong about where this season is headed, both for himself and for the team.
“Mostly I feel really, really confident. Not just in a sense of, you know, being fortunate to be able to play in my hometown, but also confident in this team, and confident in what the organization is building...It's going to be a really, really fun year for the city of Charlotte, but also for a guy like myself who grew up here and really wanted to change this organization around and be a part of that.”
Even while sidelined, Williams has been trying to help behind the scenes as he works back toward the court. He said his role has become more about guiding younger players and giving them room to grow.
“My voice has really come down to empowerment, you know?” I've been in the league long enough now where I know how the league should operate from examples at each level (of a team-building process). I'm a guy that's played for a high-level franchise, I've come into a team that's developing, and been on a team that's kind of in-between, so I've seen what's worked and what hasn't.”
“So giving my insight in that capacity, giving my honest opinion, giving them perspective, but also allowing them their freedom of thought to grow themselves and make mistakes...I'm learning that myself, even as a leader, that you can't take the brunt of everything.”
Williams also reflected on how much the Hornets have grown since the days when he was a kid watching Bobcats games in Charlotte. He remembers how different the crowds used to be.
“being able to walk out to any seat that was available,”
He doesn’t expect that kind of empty-house feel anytime soon.
“As a former fan of the team versus playing for it now, I think it's grown so much and it's going to continue to do so. I think year-over-year as we continue to improve, the city of Charlotte, the state itself, and the states surrounding us are going to continue to buy into the team.”
And for anyone still undecided about going tonight, Williams had a simple message.
“I expect a huge crowd. I'd ask the fans to show up and show out.
This is going to be a great year for them to truly buy into this organization and the players that are within it. I believe that they're going to see a competitive basketball team that's going to leave it out on the floor, but also a team that is going to be very fun to watch and be really, really successful.”
“Come on and join us. Be a part of the wave from the beginning to the end.”
In Other News...
Hornets Already Face A Brandon Miller Concern They Feared
Brandon Millers first game of the season did little to quiet the questions that followed him into the year. With LaMelo Ball no longer around to steer the offense, the Hornets are already staring at the concern they feared most: whether Miller can generate enough good looks on his own, or whether his production will dip when he has to carry more of the creation burden.
There is still room for the picture to change as Charlotte gets more help around him, with Coby White and Kon Knueppel among the players who could ease some of that pressure. But the opener served as an early reminder that Millers comfort level can look very different depending on who is setting the table, and the Hornets may spend the coming weeks finding out how much of his game travels without Ball beside him. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Already Face One Early Problem They Cant Keep Ignoring
The Hornets home opener turned into an early reminder of how thin the margin can be when a young roster is still trying to sort itself out. Charlotte fell behind quickly against Atlanta at Spectrum Center and never found much traction offensively, with turnovers and empty possessions piling up as the game slipped away. Head coach Charles Lee pointed to the ongoing adjustment to the teams offensive systems, a process that can take time but also has to show progress sooner rather than later.
Brandon Millers rough shooting night only added to the frustration, especially after the organization committed to him on a multi-year contract. There was at least one small developmental note to take from the loss, though, as Charlottes 2026 first-round draft pick made his NBA debut and contributed on both ends. For a team trying to balance patience with urgency, nights like this tend to sharpen the focus on what still needs fixing. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Miller Just Put Charlottes Early Offensive Problem On Display
The early season warning signs for Charlotte showed up in blunt fashion in Atlanta, where the Hornets were overwhelmed 128-81 in their second game of the year. Brandon Miller had one of the roughest nights of his young season, as the offense around him never found a rhythm and the Hawks turned the game into a one-sided mismatch before it could really settle in.
Charlottes issues went beyond one off shooting night. The Hornets finished at 34 percent from the field and coughed the ball up 25 times, while Atlanta shot 51 percent and kept control on both ends. Millers struggles only underscored how much pressure is on the Hornets to find more reliable scoring and cleaner possessions as the schedule moves forward. [Read more 🡒]