In this episode of Locked On Hornets, Doug Branson and Walker Mehl react to The Athletic's annual anonymous NBA player poll that put the Charlotte Hornets at the bottom of the league — literally. A staggering 38% of polled players voted the Hornets as the NBA’s worst organization, and the guys break down why this franchise continues to carry a stink that no regime change has yet washed away. They dig into the lasting damage of past ownership, the fresh start under Gabe Plotkin, Rick Schnall and Jeff Peterson, and what it'll take to climb out of the cellar. 

Plus, Charles Lee is already catching strays despite only coaching a single season. Is it fair? Or just lazy polling by players picking the easiest scapegoat? Doug and Walker debate the real implications. LaMelo Ball also gets a curious amount of respect (or is it neglect?) from fellow players, showing up nowhere near the “most overrated” list. 

And despite a 19-win season, the Hornets still found a way to break a franchise record in 3-point attempts. The guys unpack what that stat says about Charles Lee's system and whether it's a glimpse of a more modern Hornets offense or just more chaos. All that, plus a quick mock draft featuring a little lottery luck and the Cooper Flagg hype machine is in full gear.

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Top 35 Hornets Nicknames of All-Time According to Doug Branson: https://hornets.substack.com/p/the-top-35-nicknames-in-hornets-franchise

Top 35 Hornets of All-Time According to Walker Mehl: https://hornets.substack.com/p/the-top-35-players-in-hornets-history

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