Though the Charlotte Bobcats may not have hit the NBA with a vengeance in their inaugural season, they did get off to a promising start. Bobcat’s ticket holders shouldn't be disappointed though since the Bobcats hit the sparkling new Charlotte Arena for their second season. The Bobcats bolstered both their roster and their local appeal in their second outing in the NBA Draft, choosing two players from UNC, point guard Raymond Felton and power forward Sean May. With their first ever draft pick Emeka Okafor lived up to his billing and had the folks in Charlotte latching on to Bobcats tickets.
The NBA awarded the city of Charlotte a new franchise shortly after the Hornets packed up and moved to New Orleans. In a first ever move the NBA gave Robert Johnson the nod, making him the first black owner of a major sports team. The Bobcats used their first-round draft choice to land Emeka Okafor from the University of Connecticut, choosing to build their team around the 6' 10" forward/center. Okafor has paid off for the Bobcats, leading the team in scoring with a 15.1 point per game average and grabbing more than10 rebounds an outing. As a rookie Okafor was surprisingly effective on the offensive side of the ball. His ability to hit the outside shot as well as post up from the left or the right block gives the Bobcat offense a variety of options and gives opponents a major headache on defense. With Okafor as a foundation, the Bobcats got off to a good start.
That start included a number of franchise firsts. The Bobcats first game was played in the Charlotte Arena on November 4th where they lost to the Washington Wizards 103-96. Bobcats ticket holders didn't have to wait long for a win though, as Charlotte notched their first victory 2 days later with a win over the Orlando Magic 111-100. Although struggling with the expansion franchise blues, the Bobcats sent the NBA a message by shocking the Detroit Pistons in a 91-89 win and then knocking off the Hornets in their first return to Charlotte. The Bobcats finished their first season with an 18-64 record, and Okafor won the Rookie of the Year Award.
The majority owner, Robert L. Johnson, is the first African American to become a majority owner of a professional sports organization. He is also the founder of the successful television channel Black Entertainment Television (BET). Michael Jordan is part owner and head of basketball operations for the team. Famous Rapper Nelly is also part owner.
Continuing the tradition of cat-named teams, the Bobcats seemed a logical choice for the new team’s name.
Their first season, the Charlotte Bobcats took fourth place in their division. The seasons since then have shown a steady improvement; however, the Bobcats have not yet managed to earn their way into the playoffs.
The Charlotte Bobcats played their first season in the Charlotte Coliseum, while they waited for construction on their own arena to be completed. In 2005, the Bobcats moved into their new home, the Charlotte Bobcats Arena, now known as the Time Warner Cable Arena. The center-hung video screens are the largest of any indoor arena, and there is a team store where fans can find memorabilia of their favorite team. Seating for 19,026 is expandable to more than 20,000 when necessary.
Despite being such a young team, the Charlotte Bobcats are doing just as much in their community as they can. They are highly involved in feeding the hungry and in helping underprivileged children towards a better future and brighter childhood. They make visits to the children’s hospital, taking their mascot Rufus with them and creating quite a stir. They also partner with many other organizations and groups to provide opportunities and services for disadvantaged children and their families.
Rufus is a big orange bobcat, and he makes appearances not only at games, but also at events in the community, especially those that benefit charities and children. He is accompanied in cheering on the team by both the Lady Cats dance squad and the Rhythm Cats drum line.
Although the team has only been in existence for a few years, they show much promise, perhaps one day becoming one of the more successful teams in the NBA. The Charlotte Bobcats are a blessing to their community, providing support and entertainment to all.
2005-06 Charlotte Bobcats tickets may be a real prize. The Bobcats top two draft choices are local boys, popular with the Charlotte fans and talented enough to make Charlotte a much better team. The onus is on point guard Raymond Felton to make the offense work. That's a big job for a rookie in the NBA, but paired with Okafor, the Bobcats have a solid foundation that should be together for years. Sean May, another UNC product, is a 6' 8" forward with good moves. May led UNC to a NCAA National Championship along with Felton and the Bobcats are hoping the winning mentality carries over to the NBA. If May can hang with the big boys in the NBA, the Bobcats are set to improve drastically in 2005-06 and Bobcats ticket holders can look forward to a bright future.
