Boston Celtics’ lead assistant coach, Charles Lee, has agreed on a four-year contract to become the next head coach of the Charlotte Hornets. He will remain with the Celtics for the rest of their playoff run before transitioning to his new role.
“The opportunity to be the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets is a dream come true,” Lee said in a statement. “The Hornets have a talented young core of players, and I’m excited about our future and what we can build here. There are few places as passionate about basketball as the Carolinas, and I look forward to coming to Charlotte and getting to work.”
Lee, 39, joined Mazzulla’s staff in June after serving as Mike Budenholzer’s right-hand man since 2018, winning a championship with the Bucks in 2021.
Over the offseason, he interviewed for multiple head coaching vacancies, including those with the Pistons, Raptors, Suns, and Bucks.
Lee started his coaching career at his alma mater, Bucknell University, as an assistant, where he spent two seasons before joining Budenholzer’s staff with the Hawks in 2014.
Lee is regarded as one of the most highly respected assistants in the league. Over his 10 NBA seasons, Lee’s teams have compiled a record of 510-291 (.637) in the regular season. They’ve made the playoffs nine times, won seven division titles, and earned five Eastern Conference number-one seeds. Notably, in four of the last six seasons, his teams have finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA.
Lee played a pivotal role in Boston’s second-ranked defense.
“We are excited to welcome Charles Lee as the head coach of Charlotte Hornets,” said Hornets’ Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson. “His high character and his ability to connect with players while also instilling a culture of accountability will serve us well as we construct a competitive team built for long-term success. Charles possesses a championship pedigree with a wide range of basketball knowledge and NBA experience, has a tremendous work ethic and is a great communicator. He shares our vision for this organization, and I look forward to partnering with him in building something special here in the Carolinas. I can’t wait for our Hornets community to meet Charles, his wife Lindsey and his beautiful daughters, and feel Charles’ passion for the game and the intensity of his desire to win.”
Charlotte finished 21-61 this season and is likely looking at a top-five pick in the NBA Draft in June. The Hornets have some young talent on their roster, such as LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, and Mark Williams.
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