by Frank S. Collins
Three professional basketball teams have called Charlotte home.
They are the
Carolina Cougars (1969-1974), the
Charlotte Hornets (1988-2002), and the
Charlotte Bobcats (2004-present).
The Carolina Cougars played roughly a third of their season's home games in
Charlotte from 1969 to 1974.
During the 1969-1970 season,
Doug Moe
and
Bob Verga became Charlotte’s first All-Stars. Doug Moe, a 6’5"
guard/forward, played for the Cougars for one season and served as assistant
coach to
Larry Brown for the Cougars from 1972 to 1974. Bob Verga, a 6’1"
guard, played two seasons for the Cougars. During the 1969-70 season
he was second in the league in scoring with 27.5 points per game.
The next season the Carolina Cougars hosted the ABA All-Star game at the
Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Pogo Joe Caldwell, a 6’ 5"
guard/forward, played for the Cougars from 1970 to 1974. He started
the 1970-1971 All-Star game and led the East squad with 21 points. He
is one of a few players to have been named an All-Star in both the ABA and
the NBA.
For the 1971-1972 season,
Jim
McDaniels represented the Cougars at the All-Star game. McDaniels,
a 6’11" center, was averaging 26.8 points and 14 rebounds a game in 1972
when he quit the team to sign with Seattle of the NBA. During the
All-Star game he pulled down 11 rebounds and led the team with 24 points.
The Cougars boasted three All-Stars at the 1972-1973 venue, Joe Caldwell,
Mack
Calvin, and
Billy
Cunningham. The Cougar’s coach, Larry Brown, coached the ABA East
team. Mack Calvin, a 6’0" guard, and Billy Cunningham, a 6’6" forward,
were Cougars for two seasons. During the 1972-1973 season, Cunningham
averaged 24.1 points, 12 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game for the Cougars.
He finished fourth in the league in scoring, led the league in steals, was
fifth in rebounds, third in assists, and was named the MVP of the ABA.
During the 1973-1974, Mack Calvin and
Ted
"Hound Dog" McClain were the Cougar’s All-Stars. Mack led the NBA
in free throws made during the 1973-1974 season. Ted McClain, a 6’1"
defensive minded guard, was playing his third season for the Cougars.
McClain led the ABA in steals during this season.
The Charlotte
Hornets did not have an All-Star selection during their first five years
as a franchise. However, the team hosted the 1991 All-Star game at the
Charlotte Coliseum.
During the 1992-1993 season, the Charlotte Hornets boasted their first
All-Star when Larry
Johnson was selected as a starter. Johnson, a 6’6" forward,
was named rookie of the year the previous season. During the 1992-1993
season, he averaged 22.1 points per game while leading the NBA in minutes
played. He finished 7th in the league in rebounds.
For the 1994-1995 season, Larry Johnson and
Alonzo Mourning
represented the Hornets at the All-Star game.
Alonzo Mourning, a 6’10" center, ranked 5th in the league in blocked
shots, 3rd in free throws made, and 9th in defensive rebounds.
Glen Rice represented the Hornets at the All-Star game during next three
seasons. Rice, a 6’7" forward, had scoring averages of 21.6, 26.8, and
22.3 during his three years with the Hornets. He was named MVP of the
1996-1997 All-Star game after scoring 26 points. During the 1996-1997
season, Glen Rice finished third in the league in points per game (26.8)
behind Michael Jordan and Karl Malone. He led the league in three
point field goal percentage (47 percent), and finished third in three
pointers made.
During the 1999-2000 season, Charlotte Hornet,
Eddie
Jones was named an All-Star.
Eddie Jones, a 6’6" guard/forward, averaged 20.1 points a game and led
the league in steals during the 1999-2000 season. He finished 10th in
3 point shots made.
During the Hornets final season in 2001-2002,
Baron Davis
was selected as an All-Star.
Baron Davis, a 6’3’ guard, ranked 2nd in steals, 4th in assists, and 6th
in 3 point field goals made.
Charlotte will again be represented in the All-Star game during the
2009-2010 season, when
Gerald
Wallace takes the court on Sunday, February 14. He will also
represent the
Charlotte Bobcats in the slam dunk competition on Friday February 12.
Wallace, a 6’ 8" forward, currently ranks 1st in the league in minutes
played and 7th in rebounds. If there was a category that measured the
awe factor of in-game dunks and blocked shots this season,
Gerald Wallace would certainly find his name at the top of the list.
A salute to Gerald Wallace. 2010 All-Star for the
Charlotte Bobcats.