Last Updated on August 9, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

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The 1997–98 Charlotte Hornets were led by Glen Rice’s prolific scoring, with Vlade Divac providing efficient interior production, strong rebounding, and valuable playmaking from the center position. Anthony Mason contributed across every facet of the game as a versatile forward, while David Wesley supplied steady backcourt scoring and ball-handling. The Hornets paired balanced offensive contributions with effective rebounding, unselfish passing, and solid defensive play throughout the lineup.

Roster

NO. PLAYER NAME POS HT WT DATE OF BIRTH COLLEGE
00 Tony Delk PG 6-1 189 January 28, 1974 Kentucky
1 Muggsy Bogues PG 5-3 136 January 9, 1965 Wake Forest
4 David Wesley PG 6-0 190 November 14, 1970 Baylor
5 Donald Royal SF 6-8 210 May 22, 1966 Notre Dame
7 J.R. Reid PF 6-9 247 March 31, 1968 UNC
8 Tony Farmer C 6-9 244 January 3, 1970 San Jose State, Nebraska
10 B.J. Armstrong PG 6-2 175 September 9, 1967 Iowa
11 Vernon Maxwell SG 6-4 180 September 12, 1965 Florida
12 Vlade Divac C 7-1 243 February 3, 1968  
13 Bobby Phills SG 6-5 210 December 20, 1969 Southern University and A&M College
14 Anthony Mason PF 6-8 250 December 14, 1966 Tennessee State
15 Corey Beck PG 6-1 190 May 27, 1971 South Plains College, Arkansas
20 Jeff Grayer SG 6-5 200 December 17, 1965 Iowa State
30 Dell Curry SG 6-4 190 June 25, 1964 Virginia Tech
32 Travis Williams SF 6-6 215 May 27, 1969 South Carolina State
41 Glen Rice SF 6-8 215 May 28, 1967 Michigan
42 Michael McDonald C 6-10 232 February 13, 1969 Utah Valley, New Orleans
52 Matt Geiger C 7-0 243 September 10, 1969 Auburn, Georgia Tech

Regular Season Per Game

Player Pos Age GP GS MP PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Glen Rice SF 30 82 82 40.2 22.3 4.3 2.2 0.9 0.3 2.2 16.9 7.7 .457 3.7 1.6 .433 6.1 5.2 .849
David Wesley PG 27 81 81 35.1 13.0 2.6 6.5 1.7 0.4 2.8 10.7 4.7 .443 2.1 0.7 .347 3.6 2.8 .795
Anthony Mason PF 31 81 80 38.9 12.8 10.2 4.2 0.8 0.2 1.8 9.4 4.8 .509 0.0 0.0 .000 5.0 3.2 .649
Matt Geiger C 28 78 42 23.6 11.3 6.7 1.0 0.9 1.1 1.4 9.1 4.6 .505 0.1 0.0 .091 3.0 2.2 .712
Vlade Divac C 29 64 41 28.2 10.4 8.1 2.7 1.3 1.5 1.8 8.4 4.2 .498 0.2 0.0 .214 2.9 2.0 .691
Bobby Phills SG 28 62 61 30.4 10.4 3.5 3.0 1.3 0.3 1.7 8.9 4.0 .446 1.8 0.7 .386 2.3 1.7 .757
Dell Curry SG 33 52 1 18.7 9.4 1.9 1.3 0.6 0.1 1.0 8.3 3.7 .447 2.8 1.2 .421 1.0 0.8 .788
J.R. Reid PF 29 79 1 14.0 4.9 2.7 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.8 4.0 1.8 .459 0.1 0.0 .375 1.5 1.1 .730
B.J. Armstrong PG 30 62 0 12.5 3.9 1.1 2.3 0.4 0.0 0.6 3.1 1.6 .510 0.5 0.1 .265 0.7 0.6 .860
Vernon Maxwell SG 32 31 0 15.1 6.8 1.4 1.3 0.5 0.1 0.9 5.8 2.5 .428 2.8 1.0 .360 1.1 0.8 .735
Corey Beck PG 26 59 14 12.5 3.2 1.5 1.7 0.6 0.1 1.2 2.7 1.2 .459 0.1 0.0 .500 1.0 0.7 .729
Travis Williams SF 28 39 0 9.4 3.5 2.4 0.5 0.5 0.1 0.8 3.1 1.4 .471 0.0 0.0 .000 1.2 0.6 .522
Donald Royal SF 31 29 5 10.5 2.6 1.3 0.6 0.2 0.0 0.2 2.2 0.8 .381 0.0 0.0   1.0 0.9 .897
Tony Farmer C 28 27 2 6.3 2.5 1.2 0.2 0.4 0.1 0.3 2.0 0.6 .321 0.3 0.1 .222 1.4 1.1 .795
Tony Delk PG 24 3 0 11.3 2.7 0.7 1.0 0.0 0.0 1.3 1.3 1.0 .750 0.3 0.3 1.000 0.7 0.3 .500
Muggsy Bogues PG 33 2 0 8.0 3.0 0.5 2.0 1.0 0.0 0.5 2.5 1.0 .400 0.0 0.0   1.0 1.0 1.000
Jeff Grayer SG 32 1 0 11.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 4.0 0.0 .000 3.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0  
Michael McDonald C 28 1 0 4.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0   0.0 0.0   0.0 0.0  
Team Totals     82 82 241.2 96.6 40.6 23.7 8.4 3.8 15.2 77.4 36.2 .468 11.0 4.2 .383 26.7 20.0 .751

Playoff Per Game

Player Pos Age GP GS MP PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Glen Rice SF 30 9 9 41.0 22.8 5.7 1.4 0.6 0.3 1.4 19.2 9.1 .474 4.0 1.2 .306 4.0 3.3 .833
Anthony Mason PF 31 9 9 40.8 15.4 7.9 3.4 0.9 0.0 2.4 11.0 6.3 .576 0.1 0.0 .000 4.7 2.8 .595
Vlade Divac C 29 9 9 38.3 11.6 10.9 3.4 0.8 1.6 2.4 9.7 4.7 .483 0.1 0.0 .000 3.7 2.2 .606
David Wesley PG 27 9 9 31.7 10.0 2.0 6.7 0.8 0.0 2.1 9.2 3.7 .398 2.3 1.0 .429 2.3 1.7 .714
Bobby Phills SG 28 9 9 29.9 6.3 2.6 2.7 1.1 0.2 1.4 7.1 2.8 .391 1.9 0.6 .294 0.9 0.2 .250
Dell Curry SG 33 9 0 19.0 5.8 2.1 1.1 0.8 0.3 0.6 5.8 2.3 .404 1.8 0.4 .250 0.8 0.7 .857
B.J. Armstrong PG 30 9 0 16.2 4.1 1.1 2.0 0.7 0.0 0.7 4.7 1.8 .381 0.6 0.2 .400 0.4 0.3 .750
J.R. Reid PF 29 9 0 12.7 3.3 2.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 1.2 3.1 1.2 .393 0.1 0.0 .000 1.1 0.9 .800
Corey Beck PG 26 6 0 4.3 2.5 0.2 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.5 2.0 1.0 .500 0.3 0.2 .500 0.3 0.3 1.000
Donald Royal SF 31 4 0 7.0 2.3 1.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3 1.8 0.8 .429 0.0 0.0   1.0 0.8 .750
Travis Williams SF 28 4 0 4.5 1.3 1.3 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.8 0.3 .333 0.0 0.0   1.0 0.8 .750
Matt Geiger C 28 4 0 5.5 0.5 1.3 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3 1.5 0.3 .167 0.0 0.0   0.0 0.0  
Team Totals     9 9 240.0 82.8 36.1 21.2 6.4 2.8 14.1 72.9 33.1 .454 11.1 3.6 .320 19.0 13.0 .684

Regular Season Per 36 Mins

Player Pos Age GP GS Min PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Glen Rice SF 30 82 82 3295 20.0 3.9 2.0 0.8 0.2 2.0 15.1 6.9 .457 3.3 1.4 .433 5.5 4.7 .849
Matt Geiger C 28 78 42 1839 17.3 10.2 1.5 1.3 1.7 2.2 13.9 7.0 .505 0.2 0.0 .091 4.6 3.3 .712
David Wesley PG 27 81 81 2845 13.3 2.7 6.7 1.8 0.4 2.9 10.9 4.8 .443 2.2 0.7 .347 3.6 2.9 .795
J.R. Reid PF 29 79 1 1109 12.5 6.8 1.7 1.1 0.6 2.1 10.3 4.7 .459 0.3 0.1 .375 4.0 2.9 .730
Anthony Mason PF 31 81 80 3148 11.9 9.4 3.9 0.8 0.2 1.7 8.7 4.4 .509 0.0 0.0 .000 4.6 3.0 .649
Dell Curry SG 33 52 1 971 18.2 3.7 2.6 1.1 0.1 2.0 16.1 7.2 .447 5.4 2.3 .421 1.9 1.5 .788
Vlade Divac C 29 64 41 1805 13.3 10.3 3.4 1.7 1.9 2.3 10.7 5.3 .498 0.3 0.1 .214 3.7 2.6 .691
Bobby Phills SG 28 62 61 1887 12.2 4.1 3.6 1.5 0.3 2.1 10.5 4.7 .446 2.2 0.8 .386 2.7 2.0 .757
B.J. Armstrong PG 30 62 0 772 11.4 3.2 6.7 1.2 0.0 1.6 9.0 4.6 .510 1.6 0.4 .265 2.0 1.7 .860
Corey Beck PG 26 59 14 738 9.3 4.4 4.8 1.6 0.3 3.4 7.8 3.6 .459 0.2 0.1 .500 2.9 2.1 .729
Travis Williams SF 28 39 0 365 13.4 9.1 2.0 1.8 0.5 3.0 11.7 5.5 .471 0.1 0.0 .000 4.5 2.4 .522
Vernon Maxwell SG 32 31 0 467 16.2 3.4 3.1 1.1 0.2 2.2 13.9 5.9 .428 6.6 2.4 .360 2.6 1.9 .735
Tony Farmer C 28 27 2 169 14.3 6.8 1.1 2.1 0.9 1.9 11.3 3.6 .321 1.9 0.4 .222 8.3 6.6 .795
Donald Royal SF 31 29 5 305 8.7 4.4 1.9 0.7 0.1 0.8 7.4 2.8 .381 0.0 0.0   3.4 3.1 .897
Muggsy Bogues PG 33 2 0 16 13.5 2.3 9.0 4.5 0.0 2.3 11.3 4.5 .400 0.0 0.0   4.5 4.5 1.000
Tony Delk PG 24 3 0 34 8.5 2.1 3.2 0.0 0.0 4.2 4.2 3.2 .750 1.1 1.1 1.000 2.1 1.1 .500
Jeff Grayer SG 32 1 0 11 0.0 0.0 3.3 0.0 0.0 6.5 13.1 0.0 .000 9.8 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0  
Michael McDonald C 28 1 0 4 0.0 9.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 18.0 0.0 0.0   0.0 0.0   0.0 0.0  

Playoff Per 36 Mins

Player Pos Age GP GS Min PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Glen Rice SF 30 9 9 369 20.0 5.0 1.3 0.5 0.3 1.3 16.9 8.0 .474 3.5 1.1 .306 3.5 2.9 .833
Anthony Mason PF 31 9 9 367 13.6 7.0 3.0 0.8 0.0 2.2 9.7 5.6 .576 0.1 0.0 .000 4.1 2.5 .595
David Wesley PG 27 9 9 285 11.4 2.3 7.6 0.9 0.0 2.4 10.5 4.2 .398 2.7 1.1 .429 2.7 1.9 .714
Vlade Divac C 29 9 9 345 10.9 10.2 3.2 0.7 1.5 2.3 9.1 4.4 .483 0.1 0.0 .000 3.4 2.1 .606
Dell Curry SG 33 9 0 171 10.9 4.0 2.1 1.5 0.6 1.1 10.9 4.4 .404 3.4 0.8 .250 1.5 1.3 .857
Corey Beck PG 26 6 0 26 20.8 1.4 0.0 5.5 0.0 4.2 16.6 8.3 .500 2.8 1.4 .500 2.8 2.8 1.000
Bobby Phills SG 28 9 9 269 7.6 3.1 3.2 1.3 0.3 1.7 8.6 3.3 .391 2.3 0.7 .294 1.1 0.3 .250
B.J. Armstrong PG 30 9 0 146 9.1 2.5 4.4 1.5 0.0 1.5 10.4 3.9 .381 1.2 0.5 .400 1.0 0.7 .750
J.R. Reid PF 29 9 0 114 9.5 6.3 0.6 0.9 0.6 3.5 8.8 3.5 .393 0.3 0.0 .000 3.2 2.5 .800
Donald Royal SF 31 4 0 28 11.6 5.1 1.3 0.0 0.0 1.3 9.0 3.9 .429 0.0 0.0   5.1 3.9 .750
Travis Williams SF 28 4 0 18 10.0 10.0 0.0 2.0 2.0 0.0 6.0 2.0 .333 0.0 0.0   8.0 6.0 .750
Matt Geiger C 28 4 0 22 3.3 8.2 1.6 0.0 0.0 1.6 9.8 1.6 .167 0.0 0.0   0.0 0.0  

Regular Season Totals

Player Pos Age GP GS Min PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Glen Rice SF 30 82 82 3295 1826 353 182 77 22 182 1386 634 .457 300 130 .433 504 428 .849
David Wesley PG 27 81 81 2845 1054 213 529 140 30 226 864 383 .443 170 59 .347 288 229 .795
Anthony Mason PF 31 81 80 3148 1039 826 342 68 18 146 764 389 .509 4 0 .000 402 261 .649
Matt Geiger C 28 78 42 1839 885 521 78 68 87 111 709 358 .505 11 1 .091 236 168 .712
Vlade Divac C 29 64 41 1805 667 518 172 83 94 114 536 267 .498 14 3 .214 188 130 .691
Bobby Phills SG 28 62 61 1887 642 216 187 81 18 108 552 246 .446 114 44 .386 140 106 .757
Dell Curry SG 33 52 1 971 490 101 69 31 4 54 434 194 .447 145 61 .421 52 41 .788
J.R. Reid PF 29 79 1 1109 384 210 51 35 19 65 318 146 .459 8 3 .375 122 89 .730
B.J. Armstrong PG 30 62 0 772 244 69 144 25 0 35 194 99 .510 34 9 .265 43 37 .860
Vernon Maxwell SG 32 31 0 467 210 44 40 14 3 28 180 77 .428 86 31 .360 34 25 .735
Corey Beck PG 26 59 14 738 191 90 98 33 7 70 159 73 .459 4 2 .500 59 43 .729
Travis Williams SF 28 39 0 365 136 92 20 18 5 30 119 56 .471 1 0 .000 46 24 .522
Donald Royal SF 31 29 5 305 74 37 16 6 1 7 63 24 .381 0 0   29 26 .897
Tony Farmer C 28 27 2 169 67 32 5 10 4 9 53 17 .321 9 2 .222 39 31 .795
Tony Delk PG 24 3 0 34 8 2 3 0 0 4 4 3 .750 1 1 1.000 2 1 .500
Muggsy Bogues PG 33 2 0 16 6 1 4 2 0 1 5 2 .400 0 0   2 2 1.000
Jeff Grayer SG 32 1 0 11 0 0 1 0 0 2 4 0 .000 3 0 .000 0 0  
Michael McDonald C 28 1 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0   0 0   0 0  
Team Totals     82 82 19780 7923 3326 1941 691 312 1194 6344 2968 .468 904 346 .383 2186 1641 .751

Playoff Totals

Player Pos Age GP GS Min PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Glen Rice SF 30 9 9 369 205 51 13 5 3 13 173 82 .474 36 11 .306 36 30 .833
Anthony Mason PF 31 9 9 367 139 71 31 8 0 22 99 57 .576 1 0 .000 42 25 .595
Vlade Divac C 29 9 9 345 104 98 31 7 14 22 87 42 .483 1 0 .000 33 20 .606
David Wesley PG 27 9 9 285 90 18 60 7 0 19 83 33 .398 21 9 .429 21 15 .714
Bobby Phills SG 28 9 9 269 57 23 24 10 2 13 64 25 .391 17 5 .294 8 2 .250
Dell Curry SG 33 9 0 171 52 19 10 7 3 5 52 21 .404 16 4 .250 7 6 .857
B.J. Armstrong PG 30 9 0 146 37 10 18 6 0 6 42 16 .381 5 2 .400 4 3 .750
J.R. Reid PF 29 9 0 114 30 20 2 3 2 11 28 11 .393 1 0 .000 10 8 .800
Corey Beck PG 26 6 0 26 15 1 0 4 0 3 12 6 .500 2 1 .500 2 2 1.000
Donald Royal SF 31 4 0 28 9 4 1 0 0 1 7 3 .429 0 0   4 3 .750
Travis Williams SF 28 4 0 18 5 5 0 1 1 0 3 1 .333 0 0   4 3 .750
Matt Geiger C 28 4 0 22 2 5 1 0 0 1 6 1 .167 0 0   0 0  
Team Totals     9 9 2160 745 325 191 58 25 116 656 298 .454 100 32 .320 171 117 .684

Regular Season

Player Name Role Tier MPG Usage Tier PPG RPG APG STK (SPG + BPG) Impact Index Notes Awards
Glen Rice Primary Scoring Wing (1.1) 40.2 High (1.2) 22.3 4.3 2.2 1.2 79.20 Primary scoring wing and Charlotte’s offensive release valve, Rice could change a game without needing constant ball dominance. His shooting was the centerpiece of the attack; in March he scored eight straight during a decisive fourth-quarter run against Milwaukee, and teammates specifically praised his ability to punish defenses when Divac created open looks. CBS News game report MVP Voting: 11th (1998); All-Star (1998); All-NBA Third Team (1998)
Anthony Mason Point-Forward Powerhouse (1.05) 38.9 High (1.2) 12.8 10.2 4.2 1.0 71.06 Point-forward powerhouse who supplied Charlotte with unusual offensive versatility from the four spot, Mason remained one of the team’s most important rebounders and facilitators. His value was especially apparent when Rice sat; against Atlanta, Mason took over the fourth quarter and teammates described him as capable of taking control whenever the offense needed it. CBS News playoff-season report DPOY Voting: 9th (1998)
David Wesley Primary Half-Court Organizer (1.05) 35.1 High (1.2) 13.0 2.6 6.5 2.1 60.98 Primary half-court organizer and reliable secondary scorer, Wesley immediately gave Charlotte a more conventional lead guard after the Muggsy Bogues era. His late-game composure was already evident in January, when he scored 28 against Boston and hit the go-ahead three with 53.8 seconds left while also producing five steals. CBS News Wesley-Boston report None
Vlade Divac Passing Centerpiece (1.05) 28.2 Medium (1.1) 10.4 8.1 2.7 2.8 55.44 Passing centerpiece and crafty interior defender, Divac gave Charlotte an offensive dimension few centers could match. Rice openly called him one of the league’s best passing big men, and that skill repeatedly created clean perimeter chances; Divac’s season was interrupted by knee surgery, costing him 18 games. Los Angeles Times injury report None
Matt Geiger Starting Interior Scorer (1.05) 23.6 Medium (1.1) 11.3 6.7 1.0 2.0 48.51 Starting interior scorer who became particularly important whenever Divac was unavailable, Geiger supplied Charlotte with efficient low-post offense and dependable rebounding. During the team’s 10-game winning streak, he scored 19 points against Orlando, and he later posted a career-high 29 against Golden State while Charlotte’s starters were able to sit the entire fourth quarter. Deseret News Hornets winning streak report Most Improved Player Voting: 13th (1998)
Bobby Phills Defensive Backcourt Stopper (1.05) 30.4 Medium (1.1) 10.4 3.5 3.0 1.6 42.74 Defensive backcourt stopper brought in specifically to strengthen Charlotte’s perimeter resistance, Phills paired naturally with Wesley and gave the Hornets a physical guard capable of taking difficult assignments. His signing was described at the time as adding one of the NBA’s best defenders, and his veteran defensive reputation became a major part of the new-look backcourt. The Spokesman-Review: Hornets sign Phills None
Dell Curry Sixth-Man Shooting Specialist (1.0) 18.7 Medium (1.1) 9.4 1.9 1.3 0.7 29.26 Sixth-man shooting specialist whose value came from changing the geometry of the floor, Curry remained one of Charlotte’s most trusted perimeter weapons despite starting only once. His reputation as a specialist was well established, and his ability to erupt in short bursts remained useful; he scored 18 against Denver during the Hornets’ March winning streak. Deseret News Hornets-Denver report None
Vernon Maxwell Instant-Offense Reserve (1.0) 15.1 Low (1.0) 6.8 1.4 1.3 0.6 20.20 Instant-offense reserve added during the season to patch injuries in the backcourt, Maxwell immediately gave Charlotte something it lacked on the second unit: a willing shot creator. In his first game, he arrived less than a day after signing and hit the go-ahead three against Boston, then scored 11 points in a later fourth-quarter burst against Philadelphia. CBS News: Maxwell’s Charlotte debut None
J.R. Reid Physical Frontcourt Reserve (1.0) 14.0 Low (1.0) 4.9 2.7 0.6 0.6 17.60 Physical frontcourt reserve brought back to Charlotte to spell Mason, Reid’s role was deliberately narrower than the one he had carried earlier in his career. The roster construction made him a second-unit bruiser rather than a featured scorer, but his size and familiarity with the franchise gave the bench a dependable interior presence. None
B.J. Armstrong Veteran Backup Point Guard (1.0) 12.5 Low (1.0) 3.9 1.1 2.3 0.4 15.40 Veteran backup point guard acquired after Charlotte moved Bogues and Delk, Armstrong arrived with three championship rings and a strong reputation for understanding winning basketball. His own comments at the time emphasized wanting a productive situation, and Charlotte gave him a controlled reserve role behind Wesley rather than asking him to recreate his Chicago workload. SFGate: Armstrong traded to Charlotte None
Corey Beck Reserve Ball-Pressure Guard (1.0) 12.5 Low (1.0) 3.2 1.5 1.7 0.7 14.20 Reserve ball-pressure guard, Beck gave Charlotte another compact perimeter defender and secondary handler. His role fluctuated with injuries; he missed six straight games with a groin injury in February, an interruption that mattered because Charlotte was already juggling injuries to Phills, Divac and Curry. Deseret News: Hornets injury situation None
Travis Williams Energy Wing Reserve (1.0) 9.4 Low (1.0) 3.5 2.4 0.5 0.6 14.00 Energy wing reserve used primarily to keep the rotation functional when Charlotte’s veteran core needed rest. Contemporary coverage of the season is limited, but his sporadic appearances fit a roster that relied heavily on Rice, Mason, Wesley and Phills while cycling through several reserve forwards. None
Muggsy Bogues Veteran Change-of-Pace Guard (1.0) 8.0 Low (1.0) 3.0 0.5 2.0 1.0 13.00 Veteran change-of-pace guard whose Charlotte tenure ended almost immediately, Bogues appeared in only two games before being traded to Golden State with Tony Delk. Contemporary reporting emphasized both his chronic knee problems and the deterioration of his relationship with the organization, making the trade a major transition point for Charlotte’s backcourt. SFGate: Bogues and Delk trade coverage None
Donald Royal Veteran Wing Depth Piece (1.0) 10.5 Low (1.0) 2.6 1.3 0.6 0.2 9.40 Veteran wing depth piece added after the season was underway, Royal was used mainly to stabilize the second unit rather than create offense. His limited workload reflected Charlotte’s preference for established veterans around Rice and Mason, while his signing also illustrated how frequently the Hornets had to adjust the back end of the roster. None
Tony Delk Developing Combo-Guard Reserve (1.0) 11.3 Low (1.0) 2.7 0.7 1.0 0.0 8.80 Developing combo-guard reserve whose Charlotte role disappeared quickly, Delk was traded with Bogues in November for Armstrong. Earlier reporting described him as a promising shooter who had already shown NBA range and as a two-guard in a point guard’s body, but the arrival of Wesley and Corey Beck had reduced his opportunities before the deal. SFGate: Armstrong trade analysis None
Tony Farmer Emergency Center Reserve (1.0) 6.3 Low (1.0) 2.5 1.2 0.2 0.5 8.80 Emergency center reserve used primarily for frontcourt insurance, Farmer had little room to establish a regular role behind Divac, Geiger and Mason. His season was further disrupted by injury, and Charlotte ultimately waived him in March as its rotation settled around the veteran core. None
Jeff Grayer Short-Term Backcourt Call-Up (1.0) 11.0 Low (1.0) 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 2.00 Short-term backcourt call-up with almost no opportunity to influence the regular rotation, Grayer appeared in only one game after joining Charlotte on a 10-day contract. His appearance came during a period when injuries were forcing the Hornets to examine additional guard depth. None
Michael McDonald Emergency Interior Body (1.0) 4.0 Low (1.0) 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 2.00 Emergency interior body signed while Divac recovered from surgery, McDonald was brought in primarily to fill a roster vacancy rather than to assume a meaningful tactical role. He appeared only once, underscoring how quickly Charlotte’s regular frontcourt rotation returned to its established veterans. CBS News: Hornets replace injured Divac None
Team Totals 241.2 96.6 40.6 23.7 12.2 512.59 Charlotte’s 1997-98 regular-season identity was built around Rice’s perimeter scoring, Mason’s rebounding and playmaking, Wesley’s organization and a deep veteran frontcourt. The Hornets finished 51-31 and reached the Eastern Conference semifinals, while the roster’s unusual blend of shooting, passing bigs and physical forwards gave them enough versatility to win 50-plus games despite several important injuries. Deseret News: Charlotte’s midseason outlook

Playoffs

Player Name Role Tier MPG Usage Tier PPG RPG APG STK (SPG + BPG) Impact Index Notes Awards
Glen Rice Playoff Scoring Focal Point (1.1) 41.0 High (1.2) 22.8 5.7 1.4 0.9 81.31 Playoff scoring focal point and Charlotte’s primary perimeter weapon, Rice carried an enormous offensive workload against both Atlanta and Chicago. He was especially dangerous when defenders went under screens or lost him in transition, although Chicago’s physical wing defense eventually made his shot creation much harder in the conference semifinals. Chicago Tribune playoff coverage None
Anthony Mason Point-Forward Playoff Hub (1.05) 40.8 High (1.2) 15.4 7.9 3.4 0.9 69.55 Point-forward playoff hub, Mason remained Charlotte’s most versatile frontcourt creator and often initiated offense from the elbows or high post. His physical advantage over smaller forwards was a recurring problem for Atlanta, while Chicago’s ability to put stronger defenders on him reduced some of that freedom in the second round. Chicago Tribune series coverage None
Vlade Divac Passing Centerpiece (1.05) 38.3 Medium (1.1) 11.6 10.9 3.4 2.4 65.37 Passing centerpiece and interior facilitator, Divac gave Charlotte a useful answer to aggressive perimeter defense because he could move the ball from the post rather than forcing every possession through Rice. His rebounding became even more important in the playoffs, and his ability to contest shots around the rim made him a key part of Charlotte’s defensive structure. Los Angeles Times playoff analysis None
David Wesley Lead Playmaking Guard (1.05) 31.7 Medium (1.1) 10.0 2.0 6.7 0.8 45.05 Lead playmaking guard, Wesley was asked to keep Charlotte’s offense organized while Rice and Mason absorbed the heavier scoring assignments. His 6.7 assists per game show how much of the half-court creation ran through him, and his ability to pressure the ball defensively helped Charlotte survive stretches when the offense stalled. Associated Press playoff coverage None
Bobby Phills Perimeter Defensive Specialist (1.05) 29.9 Medium (1.1) 6.3 2.6 2.7 1.3 29.80 Perimeter defensive specialist, Phills was largely entrusted with difficult wing assignments rather than a major scoring role. His 1.1 steals and physical approach complemented Rice on the other end, but Chicago’s size and defensive discipline left him with fewer clean offensive opportunities as the postseason progressed. Chicago Tribune playoff coverage None
Dell Curry Second-Unit Floor Spacer (1.0) 19.0 Low (1.0) 5.8 2.1 1.1 1.1 20.20 Second-unit floor spacer, Curry remained Charlotte’s clearest shooting specialist off the bench. His role was to force defenses to respect the perimeter while Rice rested, but the playoff rotation gave him limited opportunities to become a primary offensive factor against Chicago’s aggressive closeouts. Sports Illustrated playoff coverage None
B.J. Armstrong Veteran Backup Organizer (1.0) 16.2 Low (1.0) 4.1 1.1 2.0 0.7 15.80 Veteran backup organizer, Armstrong supplied experienced ball-handling behind Wesley and was trusted to settle possessions when Charlotte’s starters needed relief. His three championship rings also gave the Hornets an unusual amount of postseason experience on the bench, even though his own offensive workload remained modest. SFGate: Armstrong’s veteran role None
J.R. Reid Physical Frontcourt Reserve (1.0) 12.7 Low (1.0) 3.3 2.2 0.2 0.5 12.40 Physical frontcourt reserve, Reid was used to add size and fouls around the interior rather than as a featured offensive option. Charlotte’s preference for Mason, Divac and Geiger left him with a narrow assignment, but his veteran physicality remained useful in a postseason setting where possessions became increasingly half-court oriented. None
Donald Royal Veteran Wing Depth (1.0) 7.0 Low (1.0) 2.3 1.0 0.3 0.0 7.20 Veteran wing depth, Royal appeared mainly when Charlotte needed another body on the perimeter or wanted to preserve its principal rotation players. His minutes were particularly limited once the series moved deeper into the postseason, leaving him little opportunity to affect the offense beyond occasional spot shooting and defensive work. None
Travis Williams Energy Wing Reserve (1.0) 4.5 Low (1.0) 1.3 1.3 0.0 0.6 6.40 Energy wing reserve used in brief stretches, Williams provided athleticism and rebounding without being asked to create offense. Charlotte’s tight postseason rotation meant his minutes were mostly matchup-dependent, particularly once the Hornets reached the more demanding series against Chicago. None
Corey Beck Situational Guard Defender (1.0) 4.3 Low (1.0) 2.5 0.2 0.0 0.7 6.80 Situational guard defender, Beck saw only scattered playoff minutes behind Wesley and Armstrong. His value was tied more to defensive pressure and preserving the rotation than offensive production, and the limited workload reflected Charlotte’s reliance on its established backcourt in postseason possessions. None
Matt Geiger Interior Matchup Reserve (1.0) 5.5 Low (1.0) 0.5 1.3 0.3 0.0 4.20 Interior matchup reserve, Geiger’s role shrank sharply once Charlotte entered the playoffs. He had been an important regular-season scorer and rebounder, but the Hornets increasingly preferred Divac’s passing and Mason’s versatility, leaving Geiger with only four appearances and brief minutes. None
Team Totals 240.0 82.8 36.1 21.2 9.2 420.31 Charlotte’s postseason offense centered on Rice’s scoring, Mason’s point-forward creation and Divac’s passing and rebounding. The Hornets defeated Atlanta in the opening round before Chicago exposed the limitations of their perimeter offense, winning the conference semifinal series 4-1 despite Charlotte’s three principal veterans carrying heavy minutes.