Hornets unveil special Charlotte neighborhood-themed jersey to celebrate Black excellence
Mike Jones had a vision.
The North Carolina native and digital designer on the Charlotte Hornets’ communications team has a very creative mind and handles several tasks behind-the-scenes. So, when the franchise sought new ideas and had employees present then during a session resembling the TV show “Shark Tank,” Jones began with the basics.
It started with a simple thought:
“Honestly, the substance of the jersey wasn’t even created yet,” Jones said Wednesday, before the Hornets took on the Milwaukee Bucks at Spectrum Center. “I just wanted to bring a Black excellence concept to the organization. So, the storyline wasn’t made when I brought this pitch. So, I wanted to be very innovative and I’m thankful to the Hornets for providing the opportunity for us and the staff to bring ideas to the table.”
Born out of Jones’ design, the Hornets on Wednesday announced the launch of the team’s first-ever Black excellence jersey as a part of the franchise’s celebration of Black History month. Dubbed the “Home Is Where The Harte Is,” the jersey sheds a spotlight and represents communities throughout Charlotte, including many minority neighborhoods such as Brooklyn Village, Enderly Park, Beatties Ford and Biddleville.
Gold text featuring the names of more than 20 prominent Black neighborhoods and streets of Charlotte’s past and present are listed in pinstripe fashion, giving the uniform that mirrors the Hornets’ classic teal uniforms worn during the organization’s inaugural season up until the design changed in 1996-97 campaign.
Among the other notable features: the chest is flanked with dogwood petals — the North Carolina state flower — and the No. 4 printed on the front and back is for Charlotte’s first area code of 704. The sprinkling of gold dotting throughout highlights the importance of gold jewelry in clack culture.
“I’m beyond thrilled that we were able to work with Mike and bring this to fruition, especially in such a short period of time,” Hornets chief marketing officer Seth Bennett said. “The fact that it is going to align with Black History month and the initiatives that we have is further confirmation that it was meant to be.
“I’m thrilled for Mike and I’m also thrilled for the communities and individuals that may be lifted and inspired from the story and what motivated him to build this uniform.”
The jerseys, which retail for $100, are a special item on a limited run. It won’t be worn in games by the players, in part because of the difference in vendors. Mitchell & Ness made these uniform tops, but the Hornets and the NBA have a contract with Nike.
Additional attire from the “Home Is Where The Harte Is” collection will be available later this month. The jerseys will be available for purchase in the Hornets Fan Shop beginning on Friday and that puts a huge smile on Jones’ face.
“It feels surreal,” Jones said. “I shed tears when I first saw it. I showed (coworkers) Matt (Rochinski) and Diana (Biffl). They are the people who are always kind of pushing me, and kind of motivating me and encouraging me throughout this whole process, even in my career.
“So, I wanted to show those people to help me stay in the moment because I’m so focused on what’s next that I don’t know how to live in the now. So, this is definitely one that makes me live in the now right now.”
This story was originally published February 5, 2025 at 2:45 PM.
