The Hornets Are The Buzziest Team In Town

…Because Jordan Ritter Conn of The Ringer seems to have cured it. The fix has been under our noses all along: fantasy baseball. Which is basically cosplaying as coworkers until you become friends. 

The Denver Summit absolutely obliterated the NWSL attendance record this weekend (by about 23,000 fans), piling 63,004 fans into Mile High Stadium for the team’s inaugural home opener. 

Call your grandpa and tell him he started a trend. You know how he wears that one hat that protects his neck when he’s gardening? Tennis fans are loving them, too. Here’s the other stuff tennis fans are up to this year. 

The French men’s national team called and said, “NBA tunnel fits, who??” And by the way, thank you to Nike for sending me the Lady Liberty Gotham FC kit. I just need the French men’s national team kit so I can officially own every Statue of Liberty-themed kit on the market. It’s only two, but that’s still pretty crazy.  

I’m in the process of moving apartments, which means I need new house slippers. I’m considering these Brunch x Yankees, because they’re being touted as this season’s coziest collab. My spring mantra is get comfortable being comfortable. 

At OffBall, we’ve been having a weeks-long conversation about the Hornets. You could say they’ve been the Buzziest team in the newsletter Slack for the better half of this season (if you like puns, which are kind of cheap laughs, but I’ll take ‘em).

Basically, I wasn't privy to just how beloved this team is — as I am a coastal elite (do we count Charlotte as being a coastal team?) — but I have since changed my ways. Mostly thanks to this LaMelo video. 

Also, because of Bill Simmons’ and Zach Lowe’s infatuation with Buzz City. 

Those men love the Charlotte Hornets (so much so, he’s willing to drive one of Charlotte’s players 30 minutes back to his hotel post-podcast recording, as a sign of respect).

@theshotclockshow

It’s time to call a spade a spade. #hornets #nba #charlottehornets #knicks #lameloball

That player was rookie Kon Knueppel, who has taken NBA fans by storm. Mostly because he’s really good at basketball, but also because he’s always involved in a silly little anecdote. He wasn’t a top-three pick (okay, he was top-four, but still). 

Earlier this year, Kon went viral for telling the story of his mom cooking 25 lbs of chicken fajitas for the whole team at a moment’s notice (why did Jimmy Fallon work in that Kon’s mom is hot, by the way?). 

Also worth mentioning his family has taken a page out of the Kardashian book — Kon’s four younger brothers are named Kager, Kinston, Kash, and Kidman (am I the only one upset because “Knick” was right there?). He’s the second Kon, after his dad, and his uncles are Klint, Kole, and Klay. 

Speaking of the Kardashians, some days I wonder if I owe Lavar Ball an apology for being critical of his Kris Jenner-adjacent strategy in the 2010s, which has been huge for his sons.

So, as long as you aren’t Tyrese Maxey, you might consider locking in on the Hornets. They’re on a tear, and without an NCAA Cinderella, this team could be just what the spring basketball doctor ordered. 

It’s almost April, which means in the women’s basketball world, a lot is about to go down. I’m not even going to mention the controversial sale of the Connecticut Sun to Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, because it deserves its own full write up. So just read on here if you’re curious. 

Anyway, in terms of upcoming events for the league, here’s what you’ll need to put in your cal: 

The Expansion Draft is April 3. The Toronto Tempo will have the sixth pick in the draft (they won the coin toss) and the Fire will have the seventh. 

Free agency will be firing on all cylinders for the month of April, by the way, because there are over 100 free agents. So no matter what you do…don’t, under any circumstance, for even one minute, stop refreshing your timeline. 

The WNBA draft (aka “National Will Azzi Fudd Go To The Dallas Wings Day”) will be April 13. 

Then, not a beat will be missed, because WNBA training camp begins April 19. Six days later. I mentioned I was moving right now, and I don’t envy these players who have to pick up and go to a whole new city immediately after being drafted/signing with a new team. 

And, just as it was written in the stars, and was always planned, the season tips off May 8. You guys wanna watch it together?