Historical Moments:
2004/05: Immediately after the Hornets left for New Orleans in 2002 the NBA granted Charlotte an expansion team to begin
play in 2004. Before the team even hit the floor it made history as it would
be owned by Robert Johnson the founder of Black Entertainment Television and the
first Majority Black owner in Major Professional sports, as the team got its
nickname from their owner. The Bobcats would get one major player to build around
in the draft as with the 2nd overall pick they would select UConn star Emeka
Okafor who had just come off leading the Huskies to a National Championship. The
first game for the Bobcats would come on November 4th at the Charlotte Coliseum
as they waited for the completion of their new state of the art arena; the
first points would be scored by Primoz Brazec, as the Bobcats lost to the Washington
Wizards 103-96. The Bobcats first win would come 2 nights later when they
beat the Orlando Magic 111-100 at home. After losing their next 7 the Bobcats
stunned the defending champion Detroit Pistons 91-89, proving though an expansion
team they would not be pushovers. On December 14th the Bobcats really gave their
fans something to roar about beating the New Orleans Hornets 94-93 in overtime
in the team's first trip to Charlotte after the move. The Bobcats would go
on to post an 18-64 record finishing in 4th place, while Rookie Emeka Okafor captured
Rookie of the Year honors with 15.1 ppg and 10.9 rpg.
2005/06: In the Bobcats second season there was even more excitement as they opened their
new Charlotte Bobcats Arena, in addition they drafted two players off the UNC Nation
Championship team Raymond Felton and Sean May. There first game at the new
arena was a successful one as they beat the Boston Celtics in overtime 107-105.
Through the first two months the Bobcats continued to be competitive for a second
year team at 10-20. However, an ankle injury would see Emeka Okafor sidelined
for the rest of the season as they struggled through a terrible 1-15 January.
The Bobcats would also struggle in February and March, before finishing up
with 4 wins in their last 5 games as they posted a 26-56 record. Following the
season the Bobcats would get another high profile investor as Michael Jordan became
a minority owner.
2006/07: With Michael Jordan now part of the franchise, many thought the Bobcats future was
secure, even though on the court the team still looked like an expansion team
as they got off to a slow start posting a 4-11 record in November. However, they
were not a team to take lightly as they beat both the Cleveland Cavaliers and
San Antonio Spurs, the two teams that would end up in the NBA Finals. Around
the New Year the Bobcats started playing better, posting a winning record in January,
as they completed an impressive season sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers,
winning both games in overtime. However, the road to becoming a true contender
was still a long one as the Bobcats ended the season in fourth place with a record
of 33-49. As the season came to an end, it was announced that Coach Bernie
Bickerstaff would be fired, as Jordan started to put his own mark on the team.
2007/08: Year four of the Bobcats began with a new coach as Sam Vincent took over from Bernie
Bickerstaff. Hoping to improve the team the Bobcats acquired Jason Richardson
from the Golden State Warriors in a sign and trade deal, while locking up leading
scorer Gerald Wallace to a six year contract. Early on the Bobcats showed
good signs as they won six of their first ten games. However, a six game losing
streak would quickly erase the solid start. After a terrible December, the Bobcats
started the New Year in a hole with an 11-18 record. The Bobcats would play
slightly better in January posting a 7-10 record, including a road win over
the Boston Celtics on January 9th, in which Jason Richardson scored 34 points.
However, often cruelest month is February, and the only thing colder then the weather
in Charlotte was the Bobcats who posted a 1-11 record. The Bobcats would
go on to finish the season with a disappointing 32-50 record. When the dust settled
Coach Sam Vincent was gone, as Hall of Famer Larry Brown, was named his replacement.
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