2004 Charlotte Bobcats

In December 2002, the NBA Expansion Committee decided that the NBA Board of Governors should approve an expansion franchise team for the city of Charlotte. This, of course, was anticipated by the basketball community in Charlotte, who felt cheated when their Charlotte Hornets became the New Orleans Hornets after the 2001 season.

Then, in January 2003, the NBA Board of Governors agreed to grant the city of Charlotte a much needed NBA team in basketball country. Soon after that, Robert L. Johnson took over ownership of the NBA Charlotte Franchise as well as the WNBA Charlotte Sting, and several days before that, Ed Tapscott was hired on as executive vice president and chief operating officer. (Now notable, Ed Tapscott oversees both business and basketball aspects for the Charlotte Bobcats NBA franchise and the WNBA Charlotte Sting.) In October 2003, Bernie Bickerstaff was named the head coach and general manger for the Charlotte Bobcats.

Bernie Bickerstaff had been around the sport of basketball for twenty-nine years before joining the Bobcats. He spent twelve years as an assistant head coach, another ten years as a head coach, and seven years as a general manager/president. Fourteen of his years were invested in the NBA, where he spent time with Seattle ('86-'90), Denver ('94-'97), and Washington ('97-'99).

With everything beginning to take shape, from head coach to the new home of the Bobcats, the Charlotte Arena, the time came for the expansion draft. Time had also come for the NBA draft, as well as free agency. It was through these that the Charlotte Bobcats found their starting five, which included Jason Hart as guard, Gerald Wallace as forward, Tamar Slay as small forward/guard, second overall draft pick Emeka Okafor as power forward, and as center, standing 7'1', is Primoz Brezec. Now the Charlotte Bobcats have everything set in place and a new home in the South Eastern Division.