Collection: Charlotte Hornets Basketball Cards

Charlotte Hornets basketball cards are best known for featuring young stars like LaMelo Ball, whose rookie cards remain among the most sought-after in the hobby. Collectors seek LaMelo's Panini Prizm, NBA Hoops, and Donruss Rated Rookie cards. Vintage Hornets cards featuring Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning also appeal to nostalgic collectors. Hornets cards remain a strong investment, driven by LaMelo's growing stardom.

The Charlotte Hornets, founded in 1988 as an expansion franchise, quickly became known for their teal-and-purple branding, passionate fan base, and exciting players who brought basketball energy to North Carolina. Early stars like Muggsy Bogues, the 5’3” point guard whose speed and playmaking made him a fan favorite, and sharpshooter Dell Curry, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer for many years, anchored competitive 1990s teams alongside power forward Larry Johnson, the 1992 Rookie of the Year, and All-Star center Alonzo Mourning, whose clutch performances carried Charlotte to multiple playoff appearances. The 1993 playoff upset over the Boston Celtics marked the franchise’s first postseason series win and helped cement the Hornets as one of the NBA’s most exciting young teams. After trades sent Mourning and Johnson to other franchises, the 2000s featured stars like Baron Davis, whose athleticism and leadership led the Hornets to more playoff success before the team relocated to New Orleans in 2002. The Charlotte Bobcats era began in 2004 but struggled until rebranding back to the Hornets in 2014, restoring the franchise’s original name and history. Modern stars like Kemba Walker, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, brought playoff contention back to Charlotte with electrifying scoring and leadership, while recent young talents like LaMelo Ball, the 2021 Rookie of the Year, have given fans hope for future success with his flashy passing, deep shooting, and star potential. Though the franchise still seeks its first conference finals appearance, the Hornets’ history—from Bogues and Mourning to Walker and Ball—blends exciting players, loyal fans, and a quest to bring championship basketball to Charlotte for the first time.

Favorite Charlotte Hornets Basketball Legends

Dell Curry  |  Muggsy Bogues  |  Alonzo Mourning  |  Larry Johnson  |  Kemba Walker  |  Glen Rice  |  LaMelo Ball  |  Baron Davis  |  David Wesley  |  Rex Chapman