Before their re-branding just two years later, the Charlotte Hornets came to a peak in the early stages of the 21st century. They had a solid core of players in place, including double-digit scorers Baron Davis, David Wesley, Elden Campbell and Jamal Mashburn.

As a result, the 2001 Hornets won 46 games while rating out as a top-10 defense in terms of efficiency. They ended the season with a nERD of 60.3 and a showing in the Eastern Conference semifinals after defeating the Heat in the first round.