The Charlotte Hornets are making quite a buzz in the Eastern Conference after having a sluggish start to the NBA season. They are now 11th in their respective conference with a 23-28 record and they’re on a seven-game winning streak.
Like the Detroit Pistons a few seasons ago, the Hornets are rising from the ashes – and the media are having a war, gatekeeping the fanbase and blocking anyone who thought they could jump on the bandwagon like that.
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“The Ringer” founder Bill Simmons did this to NBA media personality Zach Lowe on social media in mid-January. He reminded him of his comments about the Hornets when Simmons shared his League Pass rankings.
However, Lowe recently responded to him on the “Zach Lowe Show,” claiming that he had been vying for the Hornets and their young star, LaMelo Ball, in recent years.
“Bill’s like, ‘You can’t come on the Hornets bandwagon.’ I’m not trying to get on the Hornets bandwagon.’ I think I took over on the Hornets before this season,” he told his co-host Kirk Goldsberry. “He’s basing this all on when we did the league pass rankings and I thought it was a little ridiculous.”
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Who supported the Hornets first?
In November 2025, Simmons ranked the Hornets sixth in his league pass rankings. However, the Hornets did not appear to deserve to be that high up, at least, according to Lowe. And it made sense as the team was 4-11. As Lowe was in disbelief, Simmons defended his ranking.
“I love watching Charlotte. I’m not gonna apologize,” Bill said. “This isn’t a power poll, it’s a League Pass ranking…The heart wants what the heart wants. I enjoy watching Charlotte.”
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Now, the Hornets seemed to have turned the season around, catching everybody, including Lowe, by surprise, leading him to retract his initial reactions to Simmons’ rankings.
“In retrospect, not ridiculous. They’re entertaining to watch. They’re more entertaining than I thought,” he said.
But Lowe has been on the bandwagon way before Simmons. As early as 2024, Lowe declared the Hornets to be the “sleeping giants” of the NBA. He believed in the Hornets, most especially LaMelo – whom Simmons suggested the front office trade for James Harden – even when everything was stacked against them.
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“I have stood by LaMelo (Ball) like a jilted, cuckolded husband standing by their wife for years and years as all the slander’s come in,” Lowe said. “I’ve said, I’ve not given up on this guy. You can’t teach the size, the vision, the shooting. I don’t wanna hear it. I’m LaMelo’s guy!”
Related: “Storybook Ending” – The ambitious plan to bring LeBron, Giannis, and Harden to Cleveland
Should people join the bandwagon?
Recently, the Hornets have been on a hot streak, winning 10 of their last 13 games. They have the sixth-best offense, while their defense is ranked 18th.
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Kon Kneuppel has been a game-changer for the Hornets, with the rookie sharpshooter averaging 18.7 points per game while shooting 42.5 percent from deep. Ball continues to work his magic as the team’s main floor general, logging 19.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 7.1 assists.
Brandon Miller made a jump this season, which Lowe said was the key to Charlotte’s rise, averaging 20.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists, while center Mousa Diabate is producing solid numbers of 8.4 points and 8.5 rebounds.
It’s clear that head coach Charles Lee is building a winning culture in Charlotte – and Simmons, Lowe and other people are taking notice.
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This season, the Hornets have powered through trade rumors, alleged locker room issues and tanking accusations. Now they are slowly reclaiming their glory and looking like they can make the play-in.
The question is whether their promising run is really a sign that the Hornets have figured something out or is simply a mirage.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.