‘It’s the same pain.’ Fans react after Hornets miss out on top NBA Draft pick

The NBA Draft Lottery came and went Monday night, and in what feels like a dreadful annual holiday, the Charlotte Hornets’ faithful were again disappointed, with the team landing the No. 4 overall pick.

One fan who said he’s been around “since the Bobcats” decried the team’s continuing misfortune: “It’s the same pain. It’s the same stuff, different year.”

What was a jubilant crowd at Legion Brewing in South Park dwindled rapidly after Charlotte’s No. 4 overall pick was revealed, missing out on the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes and again missing out on the top pick, something Charlotte hasn’t had since 1991.

Charlotte, which finished with the third-worst record (19-63) in the NBA, entered Monday night’s lottery tied with the Wizards and Jazz for the best odds of gaining the top pick (14%). Despite missing out on No. 1, Charlotte did slot ahead of Utah (No. 5) and Washington (No. 6).

But the teams that jumped the Hornets are what irked the fans the most.

“I’m disappointed. How did we not get the first pick? We had the best odds of those in the top four,” said Nate Andrews, who was wearing a Brandon Miller jersey. “The 76ers get a better pick than us? The Mavericks get a better pick than us. (Mavericks general manager) Nico Harrison doesn’t deserve the first pick.”

The Dallas Mavericks — who initiated one of the biggest trades in the history of the league in February, sending Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis — rose on the draft board, scoring the No. 1 overall pick, capitalizing on just a 1.8% chance at the top spot.

And with the loaded Western Conference adding another household name in Flagg, Charlotte has plenty of options at No. 4 as the Hornets look to break the NBA’s longest playoff drought of nine seasons.