1997–98 Charlotte Hornets season

The 1997–98 Charlotte Hornets season was the tenth season for the Charlotte Hornets in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Hornets signed free agents David Wesley, and Bobby Phills, while re-signing former Hornets forward J.R. Reid. Early into the regular season, the team traded long-time Hornets guard Muggsy Bogues, and second-year guard Tony Delk to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for B. J. Armstrong, who won three NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls in the early 1990s.

With the addition of Wesley and Phills, the Hornets won nine of their first twelve games of the regular season, and later on held a 29–18 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team signed free agent Vernon Maxwell, who was previously released by the Orlando Magic. Despite injuries to Phills, Vlade Divac and long-time original Hornets guard Dell Curry, the Hornets had another stellar season by posting a 10-game winning streak between February and March, winning 15 of 16 games between February 21 and March 26, 1998. The Hornets finished in third place in the Central Division with a 51–31 record, earned the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, and qualified for their fourth NBA playoff appearance.

Glen Rice led the Hornets in scoring with 22.3 points per game, led them with 130 three-point field goals, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, while Wesley averaged 13.0 points, 6.5 assists and 1.7 steals per game, and Anthony Mason provided the team with 12.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. In addition, Phills contributed 10.4 points per game in 62 games, while Divac averaged 10.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in 64 games, and Matt Geiger provided with 11.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Off the bench, Curry contributed 9.4 points per game in only 52 games, while Maxwell contributed 6.8 points per game in 31 games, Reid averaged 4.9 points and 2.7 rebounds per game, and Armstrong provided with 3.9 points and 2.3 assists per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, Rice was selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team; it was his third and final All-Star appearance. In addition, Rice participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout for the fourth consecutive year, and also participated in the inaugural NBA 2Ball Competition, along with Andrea Stinson of the WNBA's Charlotte Sting. Rice also finished in eleventh place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Mason finished tied in ninth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and Geiger finished tied in 13th place in Most Improved Player voting.

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1998 NBA playoffs, the Hornets faced off against the 5th–seeded Atlanta Hawks, a team that featured All-Star center, and Defensive Player of the Year, Dikembe Mutombo, All-Star guard Steve Smith, and Mookie Blaylock; Smith was Rice's former teammate on the Miami Heat. The Hornets won the first two games over the Hawks at home at the Charlotte Coliseum, before losing Game 3 on the road by a 32-point margin, 96–64 at the Georgia Dome. The Hornets won Game 4 over the Hawks on the road, 91–82 to win the series in four games.

In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the top–seeded, and 2-time defending NBA champion Chicago Bulls, who won the Central Division title, and were led by the trio of All-Star guard, and Most Valuable Player of the Year, Michael Jordan, All-Star forward Scottie Pippen, and rebound-specialist Dennis Rodman. After losing Game 1 to the Bulls on the road, 83–70 at the United Center, the Hornets managed to win Game 2 on the road, 78–76 to even the series. However, the Hornets lost their next two home games at the Charlotte Coliseum, before losing Game 5 to the Bulls at the United Center, 93–84, thus losing the series in five games. The Bulls would go on to reach the 1998 NBA Finals, where they defeated the Utah Jazz in six games to win their third consecutive NBA championship, and sixth overall in eight years.

The Hornets finished second in the NBA in home-game attendance behind the Bulls, with an attendance of 959,634 at the Charlotte Coliseum during the regular season. On November 25, 1997, the team's sellout streak would end at 364 consecutive games (371 including post-season contests); this was the second longest active sell-out streak at the time, behind the Bulls' 465. Following the season, Divac and Maxwell both signed as free agents with the Sacramento Kings, while Curry signed with the Milwaukee Bucks after ten seasons with the Hornets, and Geiger signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.

For the season, the Hornets added side panels and additional pinstripes to their uniforms, which would remain in use until 2002. As of 2026, this was the last season in which the franchise won 50 or more games during the regular season.