2006 New Orleans Hornets

The warmth of the people of Oklahoma City was deeply appreciated by the NBA and the Hornets franchise, which was displaced after Hurricane Katrina. The Hornets return to OKC and the Ford Center in 2006-2007 behind Rookie of the Year Chris Paul. The frontcourt has been significantly improved with the signing of free agent Peja Stojakovic, and the unlimited potential of Center Tyson Chandler will be fun to watch. Pundits have predicted that the Hornets will be the most improved team in the NBA, which will delight the Oklahoma City fans.

However, fans back in the Crescent City have not been forgotten. Starting with their first regular season home game against the Houston Rockets, the Hornets plan to play six games at the New Orleans Arena. Other opponents scheduled to visit that New Orleans venue are the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, L.A. Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, and L.A. Lakers. Looking further into the future, you can plan on a visit to New Orleans when you buy tickets to the 2008 NBA All Star Game.

Whether you’re planning to see David West, Speedy Claxton, reigning Rookie of the Year Chris Paul, and the rest of the Hornets in Oklahoma, in Louisiana, or on the road, Coast To Coast can help you find the tickets you want.

Some Hornets history: The Hornets started in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1988. The Hornets got a new home in New Orleans in 2002. Past Hornets stars include Larry Johnson, fan favorite Muggsy Bogues and Alonzo Mourning. The team was led by guard Kelly Tripucka, Charlotte's top scorer for the franchise's first two seasons.

In 1992, the Hornets drafted center Alonzo Mourning from Georgetown. Earning a playoff spot, they upset the Boston Celtics with Mourning's famous series-winning shot. However, they were then defeated by the New York Knicks. The next few years were marked by injuries to Johnson and Mourning, though they did get back to the playoffs in 1994-95, only to be beaten by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

In the offseason the team dealt Mourning to the Miami Heat for guard Glen Rice and center Matt Geiger. Geiger and Johnson tied for the team lead in rebounds, while Johnson and Rice provided balanced but high-powered scoring, with all-star guard Kenny Anderson running the point for the injured Muggsy Bogues.

Anderson declined to re-sign with the team, Johnson was shipped to New York for power forward Anthony Mason, and lottery draft pick guard Kobe Bryant was traded to the Lakers for center Vlade Divac. The new-look Hornets were apparently even better, however, with Divac and Geiger providing the best center combo in the league, Mason averaging a double-double and all-NBA third team honors, Bogues back at the point, and Rice having the finest season of his career, finishing third in the league in scoring and earning all-NBA second team honors. Rice was also the all-star game MVP, setting several scoring records. The team also spotted the best season of their history, making it back to the playoffs.

1999 saw the team return to prominence, with the addition of free agent Derrick Coleman and third overall draft pick point guard Baron Davis to the mix. The lineup of Wesley, Jones, Mason, Coleman and Campbell tore through much of the season, but on January 12, 2000 Bobby Phills was killed in a tragic automobile accident. His number was retired on February 9, and was a sad note in the franchise's history. The team returned to the playoffs, where they were shredded by Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76'ers. Jones led the league in steals, but in the offseason he and Mason were shipped to the Miami Heat in exchange for small forward Jamal Mashburn and power forward P.J. Brown.

The Hornets, with the lineup of Davis, Wesley, Mashburn, Brown and Campbell made it back to the playoffs, where they defeated the 3rd ranked Heat and made it to the second round for the third time in franchise history. They returned the following season by beating the Orlando Magic, but were upended by the New Jersey Nets.

In 2002, the Hornets moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, where they opened their inaugural season against the former New Orleans NBA team, the Utah Jazz -- First NBA game played in New Orleans in 23 years -- "Pistol" Pete Maravich had his number retired during halftime. They qualified for the playoffs for the fourth straight year in 2002-03, but were beaten by Philadelphia again, where Iverson again shredded them, this time dropping 55 points in one game.

2004-05 was a wobbly season for the New Orleans Hornets, who escaped Charlotte only to find that their play and their attendance were not much better in the Crescent City. However, the Hornets' weak season gave them the fourth pick in the NBA draft and a shot at guard Chris Paul of Wake Forest.