{"id":652936,"date":"2026-03-11T16:15:37","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T16:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/652936\/"},"modified":"2026-03-11T16:15:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T16:15:37","slug":"if-there-is-any-doubt-about-the-charlotte-hornets-identity-and-what-hornets-dna-means-look-at-pat-connaughton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/652936\/","title":{"rendered":"If there is any doubt about the Charlotte Hornets\u2019 identity and what Hornets DNA means, look at Pat Connaughton"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\" By James Plowright<\/a><\/p>\n

March 11, 2026<\/p>\n

When the Milwaukee Bucks moved Pat Connaughton to the Charlotte Hornets in an offseason salary dump, the expectation around the league was simple: he was unlikely to stick around.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Even inside the building, there were no promises.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is one person I want to shout out specifically, and that\u2019s Pat Connaughton,\u201d Hornets President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson said during a meeting addressing the team in the preseason, captured by the Hornets YouTube series, Reel Access. \u201cWhen we made the trade for Pat, I talked to him and I said, \u2018You\u2019re probably not making the team\u2019\u2026 He\u2019s on this team because he\u2019s about everything that we\u2019re about: Hornets DNA\u2026 if there\u2019s any doubt at any time of what we\u2019re about, look at what he did. Because it was all in his control, in terms of his attitude, his approach, showing up every day.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Connaughton cleared the first round of roster cuts, then did it again. When he was waived at February\u2019s trade deadline to help facilitate other moves, the Charlotte Hornets did not hesitate to circle back \u2014 re-signing him shortly after.<\/p>\n

Even without a regular role in the rotation, the 11-year NBA veteran had already left his mark on a young locker room. The decision to bring him back spoke volumes about how much Charlotte values his presence, influence and professionalism behind the scenes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

OFFICIAL: We have signed guard Pat Connaughton.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd17: https:\/\/t.co\/AecinkDwVo<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Q6zIlYXSRF<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 9, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Inside the staff, that belief is shared. Assistant coach Josh Longstaff says Connaughton\u2019s impact extends well beyond minutes played \u2014 describing him as someone who \u201cbrings winning habits every day,\u201d whose voice carries influence because he\u2019s \u201cbeen around winning most of his career\u201d and knows how to reach different players individually.<\/p>\n

So what is the secret sauce?<\/p>\n

\u201cI think a lot of it has to do with my experience in the NBA and winning at a high level,\u201d Connaughton said. \u201cI\u2019ve been fortunate to win a championship, but made the playoffs every single year I\u2019ve been in the NBA. I\u2019ve been fortunate to be around some really good vets, some really good coaches, some really good organizations. I\u2019ve been a sponge, trying to soak up new information.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Pat Connaughton, who has been in the playoffs every season since entering the NBA, was part of the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks championship team, where Charles Lee was an assistant.<\/p>\n

Connaughton\u2019s r\u00e9sum\u00e9 includes a championship with Milwaukee and a career spent inside winning environments where he\u2019s never missed the playoffs. Longstaff says that background is part of why teammates listen to him: \u201cHe\u2019s Hornets\u2019 DNA through and through\u2026 the guys have a level of respect for him because of that.\u201d But the key is not just what information he has absorbed, it\u2019s how he redistributes it.<\/p>\n

Despite spending much of the season outside Charlotte\u2019s rotation, Connaughton may know the Hornets system as well as anyone.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI know the plays at every single position, no matter if I\u2019ve ever played that position for a second or not in my time here with the Hornets,\u201d he said. \u201cI know one through five. I understand what Charles is looking for on the defensive end. I understand on the offensive end what type of shots we\u2019re trying to get and how we\u2019re supposed to be moving the ball and how we can manipulate other defenses in order to get to what we want.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cI\u2019m able to be a conduit to the foundation and the process that Charles wants for this organization,\u201d Connaughton said. \u201cAnd I think sometimes it\u2019s a peer-to-peer relationship that can really emphasize and really solidify what a coach and an organization is trying to preach.\u201d<\/p>\n

But knowing the system is only part of the value he brings. Connaughton made it a point to share that understanding, helping younger players and new teammates get up to speed. It\u2019s this ability to tailor his message \u2014 and understanding of \u201chow to talk to certain players,\u201d as Longstaff put it \u2014 that has quietly made him one of the locker room\u2019s most effective leaders.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just try to continue to push that messaging to the rest of the team,\u201d Connaughton said. \u201cAnd I think there\u2019s a level of respect that I\u2019ve been fortunate to garner since I\u2019ve gotten here because of where I\u2019ve come from.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Hornets\u2019 new addition Coby White spoke about Connaughton\u2019s IQ and feel for the game after his first game in a Hornets uniform. Photo: Alex Cason \/ CLTure\u00a0<\/p>\n

That influence was obvious even to the newest Hornets \u2014 something Coby White pointed out in the Blazers post\u2011game press conference<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, been in the league for a long time,\u201d White said \u201cGetting to know him, his mind for the game, his IQ, his feel for the game in terms of making in-game adjustments, communicating, I already can tell it\u2019s been huge for the team.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Connaughton laughed when asked what White might have been referring to for the in-game adjustment after the win against the Blazers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, I say a lot,\u201d he joked.<\/p>\n

But he later offered a window into his guidance.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to be the guy that just says something to say something\u2026 I want to make sure it\u2019s meaningful and it resonates at the time in the situation. So usually for me, I\u2019m not saying something every time out, but I\u2019m grabbing guys individually to help them or I wait until it\u2019s an important moment in the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Pat Connaughton, who was also a standout baseball player at Notre Dame, won an ACC Tournament title in 2015, scoring 20 points in the championship game during the 90-82 win over North Carolina. Photo: Andy Mead \/ AP<\/p>\n

Reflecting on his impact on his teammates, Connaughton explained how he tries to simplify complex in-game issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think through it from a turnover standpoint,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of things that can point towards turnovers throughout the course of the game, but how do you identify what is the main cause of the most turnovers, and then how do you articulate that clearly and simply to the team as a whole to help change that understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n

That voice commands respect, coming from a peer with more than a decade of NBA experience, a championship on his r\u00e9sum\u00e9, and time spent under elite coaches like Mike Budenholzer and Doc Rivers \u2014 and most importantly, Charles Lee, who is among the brightest young coaches in the league with championship experience.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m able to be a conduit to the foundation and the process that Charles wants for this organization,\u201d Connaughton said. \u201cAnd I think sometimes it\u2019s a peer-to-peer relationship that can really emphasize and really solidify what a coach and an organization is trying to preach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Connaughton has only started 72 of his 625 career games and has only averaged 18.7 minutes per game in his career. But despite that, he\u2019s found a way to lead in his own way.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s consistency,\u201d he explained. \u201cIt\u2019s understanding that the team comes first. It\u2019s understanding what it takes to win at the highest level and what goes into that on a daily basis. It\u2019s how you carry yourself. It\u2019s how you treat others around you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

That hasn\u2019t always been the case in Charlotte. In the past, young players struggled to meet the expectations of being professional athletes, and while they\u2019re responsible for their own choices, the Hornets also lacked steady veteran voices to set the standard. The additions of leaders like Taj Gibson last season and Connaughton this year have helped shift that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cI just try to continue to push that messaging to the rest of the team,\u201d Connaughton said. \u201cAnd I think there\u2019s a level of respect that I\u2019ve been fortunate to garner since I\u2019ve gotten here because of where I\u2019ve come from.\u201d Photo: Nick Wass \/ AP<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s everything from before you step into the building and how you\u2019re handling yourself as a professional,\u201d said Connaughton. \u201cAnd then everything from the moment you step in the building.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

That level of intentionality is not always a given in the NBA. The league is filled with potential distractions: late nights, poor habits, complicated personal lives, and off-court noise can all chip away at focus and consistency. For a young group like the Hornets, having a veteran who models professionalism on a daily basis matters as much as any technical adjustment on the floor.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

His mindset is simple and straightforward.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI try to make sure that with every guy on the team, they understand that my job is to try to see each and every one of their best interests while helping them understand what it takes to win at this level, because winning at this level helps everybody accomplish their goals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charlotte\u2019s in-season turnaround has been one of the most impressive in recent history. Connaughton does not point to a single defining moment; instead, he offers a very unsensationalized explanation.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it was the consistent desire to be better and the competitive nature that I saw on a daily basis,\u201d he said. \u201cAll that was genuine and authentic from every single guy on the team. They wanted to win. They were competitive. They just weren\u2019t very clear on how.\u201d<\/p>\n

A lot of credit goes to Charles Lee for keeping this young group focused, developing, and pushing through one of the league\u2019s most impressive in\u2011season turnarounds. His constant references to \u201cHornets DNA\u201d and \u201cDaily Improvement\u201d might have felt repetitive at times, but the payoff is here: the small steps he emphasized every day have added up, and the Hornets now look like one of the most exciting rising teams in the NBA.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Charles has done a tremendous job setting the foundation last year, setting the foundation this summer, and continuing to set the foundation at the beginning of this year,\u201d Connaughton said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t see the results right away. But when we started to see them, and we started to see small things change, you\u2019re able to capture some of the metrics that you can then visually show to the team that, \u2018hey, things are turning around, things are getting better, even if the results haven\u2019t happened to the level that we wanted.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Connaughton played a key role in reinforcing that message during the team\u2019s early-season struggles, helping carry the coaching staff\u2019s emphasis on steady progress and reminding teammates that the results would come.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Nell Redmond \/ AP\u00a0<\/p>\n

Connaughton was not supposed to make the team \u2014 he was told as much. But throughout training camp, he showed up every day committed to getting better, competing hard, and putting the team first. Those traits quickly made him a standout example of what the Hornets call their \u201cDNA\u201d: daily improvement, toughness, and selfless play.<\/p>\n

If there is any doubt about Charlotte\u2019s identity, Peterson offered instruction early on: Look at Pat Connaughton.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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