Basketball Hall-of-Famer Alonzo Mourning says he never wanted to leave Charlotte, and would have taken less in salary to remain with the Hornets in 1995.
The team’s owner at the time, George Shinn, says he offered Mourning more money than then-Hornets star Larry Johnson made, and the most money an NBA player was offered at the time.
Mourning, 47, was in Charlotte Thursday for the Hooptee charity golf tournament at The Golf Club at Ballantyne. Mourning has a good relationship with current Hornets management, particularly team president Fred Whitfield, who hosted Thursday’s event. The franchise honored Mourning at halftime of a home game in February.