NBA Playoffs: Charlotte Hornets still called Bobcats by national media

Apr 17, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Courtney Lee (left) stands next to Hornets guard Kemba Walker (right) during the first half against the Miami Heat in game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 17, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Courtney Lee (left) stands next to Hornets guard Kemba Walker (right) during the first half against the Miami Heat in game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Charlotte Hornets are getting little respect from one national media outlet who is still calling them by their old nickname.

For 14 seasons, the Charlotte Hornets were one of the most well-known teams in the NBA. With players like Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning and Muggsy Bogues on the roster, Charlotte was a playoff team consistently and had some of the highest selling jerseys and merchandise in the league.

After the Hornets moved to New Orleans before the 2002-03 season, the town was without an NBA team until the expansion Charlotte Bobcats arrived for the 2004-05 season. Before the 2014-15 season, the franchise returned to the original nickname of pro basketball in the city (as part of a deal with the now New Orleans Pelicans, who returned the history of the original Hornets franchise to the new team).

As the Charlotte Hornets version 2.0 is in the playoffs and in the middle of a tough first round battle with the Miami Heat, one of the media partners covering the NBA playoffs still hasn’t realized that the Hornets’ nickname is back:

Who knows… maybe someone at Turner Sports (owners of TNT) just hasn’t changed the template yet on their graphics. Or, just maybe, after seeing the first two games of the series against the Heat, they don’t think the Charlotte Hornets will be around long enough in the playoffs for it to actually matter.

For more NBA Playoffs news, check out our NBA Playoffs hub page.