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Al Jefferson Is First Bobcat, Er, Fifth Hornet To Make All-NBA Team

JEFF SINER — jsiner@charlotteobserver.com

  Charlotte Hornets center Al Jefferson on Wednesday became the fifth player in Charlotte's NBA history to make an All-NBA team. That stat is an example of why the used-to-be Bobcats wanted to get more than just the Hornets name back – they also wanted the Hornets' history.

Sure, this is kind of technical, but it's a big deal for Charlotte sports history. When the Hornets left for New Orleans, they took all their stats and records with them – Charlotte no longer got to claim any of that history.

But the NBA decided Charlotte could get that history back after the new team in town, the Bobcats, bought the Hornets name. So whereas Al Jefferson would've been the first ever Charlotte Bobcat to make an All-NBA team - a reminder of how the Bobcats era wasn't that great - instead, Jefferson is now the fifth Charlotte Hornet to receive that honor.

Jefferson made the All-NBA third team, which means sportswriters and broadcasters thought he was the third-best center in the league this season. He averaged more than 20 points and 10 rebounds a game.