The NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats will officially become the Hornets on Tuesday, the team announced. The name change was appoved by the NBA in 2013.
The Hornets nickname has a long history in Charlotte, referring to the city’s reputation during the Revolutionary War as a “hornet’s nest of rebellion.” The original NBA franchise in the city, which began play in 1988, was the Hornets.
When that franchise moved to New Orleans after the 2001-02 season, the Hornets nickname went with it. New Orleans’ rebranding before last season to the Pelicans left the nickname available.
