Hornets' Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, ready to dominate alongside LaMelo Ball

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Charlotte Hornets media day featured young, hungry players making up the team’s big three. LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Miles Bridges all seem optimistic about the 2024-2025 season.

After only winning 21 games the season before, there is nowhere to go but up for this young team. That all starts with their new head coach Charles Lee.

Miles Bridges believes in Charles Lee, team development

Lee came to the Hornets after serving under head coach Joe Mazzulla on the Boston Celtics. It may be his first time as an NBA head man, but he has been an assistant coach in the league since 2014. He has been a member of two NBA championship squads.

“Just enthusiasm,” Bridges said when describing Charlotte’s rookie head coach. “He’s energetic, the last two coaches have been laid back, except for Cliff when he got mad. Coach (Lee) comes with a lot of energy and I feel like that’s what we need.”

Lee turns 40 in November, so he’s young in NBA terms when it comes down to coaching. Spending time around Mazzulla on a title run with the Celtics in 2024 also puts a different battery in the pack as well. Bridges believes in the team’s development under his new head coach.

“Taking it one day at a time, one game at a time. Focusing on the next days to get better, day by day,” Bridges said. “The new Hornets DNA is to be obsessed with daily improvement and I feel like that’s what we’ve been doing.”

The big three is anxious to play at full strength

While injuries have held Ball back, he is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season. Seeing the Hornets reach their full potential next to Bridges and Miller is a tantalizing sight for Ball.

“Definitely excited, I mean y’all seen how Miles could jump and Miller might have little low bounce, it’s crazy,” Ball said. “Both of them jumping is definitely a scary fast break.”

Ball and Miller only played 19 games with one another in the 2023-24 season, so the excitement is their to see the Hornets likely number one and two options mesh their games together to dominate. Ball wasn’t the only one praising Miller, Bridges also had nothing but good things to say about the sophomore star.

“Brandon gets better everyday. I’ve been so impressed with him since he came to the Hornets,” Bridges said. “He’s more poised than he was last year, he can facilitate better, I wouldn’t be surprised if he hits that All-Star stride.”

Brandon Miller hypes up Mile Bridges, LaMelo Ball

The attention will be on Miller since he stole the show last year,  being a consistent force throughout the course of the season. But Miller knows he didn’t find his stride alone.

“It feels great coming from him,” Miller said about Bridges’ comments. “Without him I wouldn’t make it to be an All-Star. He makes me better, pushes me, I push him. It’s going to be a great season for him too.”

Miller also noted how playing next to Ball will help elevate his and the entire Hornets’ game.

“I’m so excited, man. Best IQ in the game. I think he’s the best playmaker, he’s gonna help us. Everyone’s going to follow his lead and we’re going to be right there with him,” Miller said. “Without him it would be different as you saw last year. It’s a new year, I see him doing great things this year. All-Star for him. I’m rooting for him.”

Training camp will give these guys a chance to grow even closer and build that rapport to backup their lofty expectations. The first preseason game is at Spectrum Center October 6 against the New York Knicks.

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