Ranking the 5 greatest Charlotte Hornets players of all time as Michael Jordan departs as majority owner

Michael Jordan's tenure as majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets ended after the NBA's Board of Governors approved the sale of the team. Jordan will remain as a minority owner of the Hornets, but Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin will be in full control after the $3 billion sale.

The Hornets are one of the least successful teams in NBA history. They have never made it past the second round of the playoffs and have only made the postseason six times since 2000.

Regardless of the team's success, or the lack of it, there have been some great players for the franchise since they were founded in 1988. Let's take a look at the five best players for the franchise.

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Greatest players in Charlotte Hornets history

Here are the top five:

#5 Glen Rice

Rice played just three seasons for the Charlotte Hornets, from 1995 to 1999. Rice was an All-Star in his three years with the team and helped them make the postseason twice. He was the All-Star Game MVP in 1997.

Rice remains the franchise's leader in points per game (23.5). In his best season with the Hornets, he averaged 26.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 47.0% from beyond the arc.

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#4 Gerald Wallace

When the franchise returned to the NBA in 2004 as the Charlotte Bobcats, Gerald Wallace was the face of the team for several years.

He carried the team to their first playoff appearance as the Bobcats in 2010. However, it ended in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Orlando Magic.

Wallace was a one-time All-Star with the Charlotte Hornets during his stint from 2004 to 2011. He also remains in the top five of many team records. He's fourth in field goals made, third in rebounds, second in steals, fourth in blocks and third in points.

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#3 Larry Johnson

"Grandmama" Larry Johnson was the first star of the Charlotte Hornets. Johnson was the first overall pick in 1991 and immediately made an impact in Charlotte. Along with Alonzo Mourning, Johnson helped the Hornets make the playoffs in 1993 and 1995.

Johnson made the list over Mourning because he played longer for the franchise. He spent five NBA seasons in Charlotte before he got traded to the New York Knicks in 1996. He's second in rebounds, third in free throws made and fourth in points.

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#2 Dell Curry

Dell Curry might be famous for being the father of Steph Curry, but he's an integral part of the Charlotte Hornets franchise. Dell spent 10 years in Charlotte, helping them make the playoffs four times.

The Curry family patriarch is the franchise leader in games played and 2-point field goals made, second in field goals made, 3-point field goals made and points, ninth in assists and fourth in steals. He never made the All-Star Game but was a beloved player for the Hornets.

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#1 Kemba Walker

There's no question that Kemba Walker is the greatest player in Charlotte Hornets history.

Walker was with the Hornets for eight seasons but only made two playoff appearances. He holds several franchise records like points, minutes played, field goals made, 3-pointers made and free throws made.

Walker is second in assists, third in steals and fourth in points per game. He also holds the record for most points scored in a game in franchise history. He exploded for 60 points against the Philadelphia 76ers on November 17, 2018.

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