Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee is building his program on daily messages and long-term growth as his team prepares to face the Washington Wizards on Sunday, February 22.
Lee, in his second season, revealed that inspiration is part of his locker room routine. “It’s funny,” Lee told Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson. “I more so would ask you to maybe ask the players, because we have a TV in our back that we throw a quote of the day up there. The quotes vary in their style. I think some guys are reading it, some guys don’t.”
The approach reflects a broader philosophy centered on process over results. “From a book standpoint, there’s some one-on-one conversations that I’ve had with guys about, ‘Hey, this would be good for you,’” Lee explained. “A lot of it’s on the process—embracing the journey and what that journey looks like, and how to deal with adversity.”
When asked about a book that shaped his own path, Lee answered without hesitation. “Changed my life? Chop Wood, Carry Water!”
That mindset will be tested against Washington, a team Lee described as dynamic despite its 16-39 record. “They are pretty fun to watch, actually,” he said. “Similar story. A lot of young players out there. The ball is moving, people are moving, they’ve got some good three-point shooting. They’re really going to test our discipline defensively.”
Charlotte enters the game at 26-31, 10th in the Eastern Conference standings, and has dropped consecutive games to Houston (101-105) and Cleveland (113-118). The Hornets have leaned on Brandon Miller, who averages 20.5 points per game, alongside Kon Knueppel (19.1 points, 5.5 rebounds) and LaMelo Ball (19.1 points, 7.3 assists).
Lee emphasized learning from recent losses. “The way that we rebound is, just like last night, you try to learn from what you can from that game,” he said. “Going into that Houston game, we talked a little bit about how can we finish quarters, how can you finish games better.”
Execution late in games remains a focal point. “Now [we’re] just trying to tighten up some of our situational basketball stuff,” Lee noted. “And then once you learn, you’ve gotta move forward.”
Charlotte holds a 3-0 record against Washington this season, including a 139-113 road win in October. The Wizards have won two straight over Indiana but remain 13th in the conference.
