CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Veteran NBA assistant coach Charles Lee was named the next head coach of the Charlotte Hornets Thursday.
Lee has spent 10 years as an NBA assistant and will join the team after the playoffs. He is currently serving as an assistant with the Boston Celtics.
“We are excited to welcome Charles Lee as the head coach of Charlotte Hornets,” Jeff Peterson, the Hornets president of basketball operations, said in a press release. "His high character and his ability to connect with players while also instilling a culture of accountability will serve us well as we construct a competitive team built for long-term success. Charles possesses a championship pedigree with a wide range of basketball knowledge and NBA experience, has a tremendous work ethic and is a great communicator. He shares our vision for this organization, and I look forward to partnering with him in building something special here in the Carolinas. I can’t wait for our Hornets community to meet Charles, his wife Lindsey and his beautiful daughters, and feel Charles’ passion for the game and the intensity of his desire to win.”
Lee was hired after several prominent names, including former Duke star J.J. Redick, were reportedly involved in the search. Steve Clifford announced in April he would step down from head coach for an advisory role within the organization.
Before joining the Celtics as their top assistant, Lee spent five seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, helping the team win the 2020-21 NBA championship. He started his coaching career with the Atlanta Hawks in 2014. As an assistant coach, Lee has reached the playoffs nine times. His teams have finished with the best regular season record in the NBA four of the past six years.
“The opportunity to be the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets is a dream come true,” Lee said. "I want to thank Rick Schnall, Gabe Plotkin and Jeff Peterson for the trust they are placing in me to lead this team. The Hornets have a talented young core of players and I’m excited about our future and what we can build here."
One of Lee's top priorities will be scouting the team's next draft pick. The Hornets are in the mix for a top-five pick in the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery after a disappointing 2023-24 season.
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