Kofi Inkoom
The Charlotte Hornets have announced that they’ve brought on board Charles Lee, currently an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics, to lead their team as head coach.
“We are excited to welcome Charles Lee as the head coach of Charlotte Hornets,” Hornets head of basketball operations Jeff Peterson said in a press release. “His high character and his ability to connect with players while also instilling a culture of accountability will serve us well as we construct a competitive team built for long-term success.
“Charles possesses a championship pedigree with a wide range of basketball knowledge and NBA experience, has a tremendous work ethic and is a great communicator. He shares our vision for this organization, and I look forward to partnering with him in building something special here in the Carolinas.”
Having been widely regarded as the leading candidate in the Hornets’ head coaching pursuit, Lee brings a wealth of experience to the role. He enjoyed a professional playing career in international leagues from 2006 to 2010 before transitioning into coaching.
Lee served as an assistant coach at Bucknell from 2012 to 2014, then joined Mike Budenholzer’s staff in Atlanta from 2014 to 2018, followed by a stint in Milwaukee from 2018 to 2023, where he clinched a championship with the Bucks in 2021. After Budenholzer’s departure last year, Lee joined the Boston Celtics as lead assistant under Joe Mazzulla for the 2023/24 season.
Charlotte had been in search of a new head coach since Clifford announced his resignation in early April. Clifford is expected to transition into a front office role after his second stint coaching the Hornets.
Lee will inherit a Hornets team in the midst of a rebuilding phase, though it boasts promising foundational pieces such as forward Brandon Miller and guard LaMelo Ball. Miller, who finished third in Rookie of the Year voting, and Ball, a former Rookie of the Year with an All-Star nod at just 22 years old, provide a solid foundation for the team.
The Hornets are the second team to complete a head coaching search since the regular season concluded, following the Nets.