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Charlotte Hornets buzzing with plans to celebrate 30th anniversary

Dell Curry and Muggsy Bogues

The Charlotte Hornets will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the team’s inaugural 1988-89 season this year.

The season-long commemoration will include a new “Classic Edition” uniform and a 30th Anniversary Team, which will be selected through fan voting.

[PHOTO TIMELINE: Charlotte Hornets history]

The 30th Anniversary Team will be revealed during a series of “Classic Nights,” which will take fans back to the Charlotte Coliseum of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. The team will wear a new white “Classic Edition” uniform for these games – there will be a minimum of six classic nights during the 2018-19 season.

“When the Hornets took the court in 1988, the city of Charlotte and the Carolinas were changed forever, and it is important that we acknowledge that beginning and those who have been a part of Charlotte’s 30-year love affair with the NBA,” Hornets President and COO Fred Whitfield said in a release.

The team unveiled a 30th anniversary logo -- a circular emblem featuring the logo of the original Hornets with the familiar pinstripes found on the uniforms the team made famous. Merchandise featuring the logo, including T-shirts and hats, is available now at the Hornets Fan Shop.

The Hornets have also launched Hornets30.com, a special website that hosts fan voting for the 30th Anniversary Team, a "This Week in Hornets History" series, features and photo galleries, stories on the team's history and more.

Now through Oct. 1. fans can visit the site to vote for the 30th Anniversary Team. Fans can cast a vote for up to 10 players from Charlotte’s NBA history, with the top 10 overall vote-getters being named as members of the 30th Anniversary Team. All fans who vote will automatically be entered for a chance to win a 30th Anniversary Prize Pack that includes a pair of Jordan 4 Retros, a classic Hornets “Grandmama” jersey and a Hornets 30th Anniversary hat.

Current NBA star Stephen Curry has weighed in on his picks:

Playing their inaugural game on Nov. 4, 1988, the Hornets were the first major professional sports franchise in the Carolinas. The team led the NBA in attendance during its inaugural season in 1988-89 and went on to do so seven straight times from the 1990-91 to 1996-97 seasons, recording 364 consecutive sellouts from Dec. 23, 1988, through Nov. 21, 1997. The Hornets hosted the NBA All-Star Game in 1991, which they will do once again in February 2019.

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