Hornets Extend Head Coach Charles Lee After Franchise's Best Season In 10 Years

The Charlotte Hornets posted a 28-10 record in their final 38 regular-season games, catapulting themselves out of the Eastern Conference cellar and into the play-in tournament, where they won their first postseason game since 2016 in front of a frenetic home crowd.

They nearly ended what’s now a 10-year playoff drought, and on Thursday they officially extended the man who oversaw the midseason turnaround that secured Charlotte its best record since the 2015-16 campaign.

The Hornets, who finished 44-38, announced that they’ve signed head coach Charles Lee to an extension. The terms of that deal have not yet been disclosed; however, the franchise’s commitment to Lee is clear as they hope to build on a momentous winter and spring.

“Charles has done an outstanding job establishing a foundation for who we want to be as a team,” Hornets president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson said in a statement Thursday.

“From day one, Charles and his staff have prioritized player development, creating an environment where each of our players are committed to getting better and continue to improve. He has built a team-first culture rooted in accountability, hard work and professionalism. I’m excited to keep working closely with Charles as we continue to build the Hornets for long-term success.”

Charlotte hired Lee ahead of the 2024-25 season. At the time, the Hornets were coming off a 21-win campaign that marked the end of Steve Clifford’s second stint leading the franchise.

In Lee’s first go-around, Charlotte remained at the bottom of the East, actually winning only 19 games during the 2024-25 season. The Hornets didn’t get off to an auspicious start this season, either. They lost seven of their first 10 games and 14 of their first 18 and were 16-28 on Jan. 21.

Then the script flipped. Under Lee’s tutelage, and behind a burgeoning young nucleus anchored by Charlotte mainstay Miles Bridges, the Hornets evolved into one of the most competitive and fun teams in the NBA.

The No. 4 overall pick in last year’s draft, Kon Knueppel, made a push for NBA Rookie of the Year, for a while giving former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg a run for his money. Along the way, he broke Kemba Walker’s single-season franchise record for 3-pointers and, before that, notched the league’s rookie record for 3s in a season. The smooth-shooting Knueppel clocked out with 273 triples, the most of any player in the NBA this season. His backcourt partner, LaMelo Ball, was one behind with 272.

Forward Brandon Miller led the Hornets in scoring, though. He averaged 20.2 points per game. Charlotte added Coby White in the lead-up to the trade deadline, and the former Chicago Bulls guard — a one-time UNC star and a Goldsboro, North Carolina, native — came through for the Hornets. He hit a game-tying 3 that forced overtime and set the stage for a thrilling play-in win over the Miami Heat last month.

To reach the play-in tournament, Charlotte furiously stacked wins, starting with nine victories in a row. It was the franchise’s longest win streak since 1999, when then-interim head coach Paul Silas orchestrated a midseason turnaround of his own during a strike-shortened season.

Although the Hornets fell short of the playoffs, dropping a win-and-in play-in game to the Orlando Magic, they inspired confidence in what they could be in the years to come under Lee.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue leading this team and building on what we’ve started here in Charlotte,” Lee said in a statement.

He added: “I’m excited about the direction we’re headed and our team’s bright future. Our players have shown a real commitment to growth, and I’m proud of the culture we’re establishing together. We’re just getting started, and I’m looking forward to the work ahead.”