1988 Expansion Draft
The Charlotte draft that birthed the franchise which would eventually become New Orleans.
The 1988 NBA Expansion Draft was not a direct event for the New Orleans Pelicans as we know them today, but it is the foundational moment that created their franchise lineage. Held in June 1988, this draft established the Charlotte Hornets as an expansion team, selecting players like Sam Perkins and Larry Johnson to build a roster from scratch. For nearly two decades, the Hornets represented New Orleans' NBA presence before relocating to the Bayou City in 2002.
- Event
- 1988 NBA Expansion Draft
- Franchise Origin
- Charlotte Hornets (later New Orleans/Orlando Hornets)
- Year Established
- 1988
- Key Selections
- Sam Perkins, Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning
- Relocation Year to NOLA
- 2002
- Status
- Historical Foundation of the Pelicans
Lore & Background
The connection to New Orleans remained dormant until 2002, when owner George Shinn moved the franchise to the Crescent City. The 'Hornets' name and history from the 1988 draft became the official lineage of the New Orleans Hornets. This meant that the players selected in Charlotte in 1988 were technically the first in the history of what would become the Pelicans, creating a unique historical bridge between two distinct Southern basketball cultures.
In Their Own Story
The air in the conference room was thick with anticipation as general managers circled the table. It wasn't New Orleans yet; it was Charlotte, 1988. A young Larry Johnson sat quietly, unaware that his selection here would one day echo through the humid nights of the Smoothie King Center. The draft list was more than just names; it was a blueprint for a franchise destined to cross state lines and find its true home in the French Quarter.
Reader's Guide
The story begins in June 1988, when the NBA granted an expansion franchise to Charlotte, North Carolina. Through the Expansion Draft, teams protected their stars while leaving others available for the new Hornets to select. Key picks included Larry Johnson and Sam Perkins, who immediately made the team a contender.
For fourteen years, the Hornets built a legacy in Charlotte, known for their community engagement and competitive spirit. However, financial struggles in the early 2000s forced owner George Shinn to seek a new market. In 2002, the franchise relocated to New Orleans, bringing its entire history, including the 1988 draft picks, with it.
The team played as the New Orleans Hornets for over a decade, eventually rebranding as the Pelicans in 2013. Despite the new name, the official records trace back to that pivotal summer of 1988, making the expansion draft the true genesis of the modern New Orleans franchise.
Did You Know?
- The New Orleans Pelicans officially trace their franchise history back to the 1988 Charlotte Hornets.
- Larry Johnson was the first overall pick in the 1988 Expansion Draft for the new Hornets.
- The team moved from Charlotte to New Orleans in 2002, bringing all prior records and players with them.
- Before becoming the Pelicans, the franchise was known as the Hornets in both Charlotte and New Orleans.