CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets gave head coach Charles Lee a contract extension on Thursday following a season in which the team improved its win total by 25 games.
Details of Lee’s new deal was not released by the team.
“Charles has done an outstanding job establishing a foundation for who we want to be as a team,” Hornets president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson said. “From Day One, Charles and his staff have prioritized player development, creating an environment where each of our players are committed to getting better and continue to improve.”
After winning 19 games in Lee’s first season with the team, the Hornets got hot late in the season and rallied to win 44 games before falling to the Orlando Magic in the play-in tournament.
The 25-win improvement over his first season represented the largest year-over-year win total improvement in franchise history.
“I’m excited about the direction we’re headed and our team’s bright future,” Lee said. “Our players have shown a real commitment to growth, and I’m proud of the culture we’re establishing together.”
Lee’s next goal is to snap the Hornets’ 11-year playoff drought, the longest in the NBA.
After starting the season 16-28, the Hornets finished strong with a 28-10 record, and rookie Kon Knueppel and LaMelo Ball finished 1-2 in the league in 3-pointers made.
Under Lee, the Hornets had the No. 1 net rating (+10.5) in the NBA from Jan. 1 until the end of the regular season, ranking atop the league in offensive rating (120.7) and fifth in defensive rating (110.2).
Charlotte led the league in rebounding percentage (54.8%), second-chance points (19.0) and 3-pointers made per game (17.3) since Jan 1 and went on to beat Miami in the play-in tournament for its first postseason win since 2016 in the No. 9 seed vs. No. 10 seed play-in game.
The Hornets finished January with an 11-6 record and tied for the highest point differential on the road (+151) in any month in NBA history, earning Lee the award for Eastern Conference Coach of the Month.
Charlotte also set a franchise record with 10 straight road wins and tied an NBA single-season record with eight road wins by 25-plus points.
Lee previously served as an assistant coach for 10 seasons with Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta. He won NBA championships with the Celtics (2023-24) and the Bucks (2020-21).