CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As Michael Jordan’s time running the Charlotte Hornets comes to an end, a Hornets superfan offered a stinging appraisal of his ownership.

Jordan and the Hornets announced Friday he agreed to a deal to sell his majority stake in the NBA franchise to a new ownership group. The sale still needs the approval of the NBA board of governors, according to the Hornets.

What You Need To Know

  •  The Hornets and Michael Jordan announced a deal to sell his majority stake on Friday

  •  The co-founder of the Hornets fan club says the team was underperforming under Jordan for years

  •  The sale still needs NBA approval

But fan Evan Kent, who is a co-founder of the Crown Club, said Jordan’s time at the helm could be described as nothing less than underperforming.

“Sixteen years of basketball operations and ownership, arguably being one of the worst teams in the league — I think a lot of people are just kind of at that point ready for any kind of change,” Kent said Friday.

The Crown Club has more than 500 members and hosts tailgates, away game trips and watch parties for the team. The club sprouted out of Kent and his brother’s 2010 campaign to bring back the original Hornets name. At the time, the NBA franchise was known as the Charlotte Bobcats. 

“This newspaper comes from the return of the Hornets’ name. That’s why it says hello Hornets,” Kent said, referencing memorabilia from his decades of fandom.

Kent says his love of the Hornets is born out of loyalty, and at times, self-described pessimistic hope. 

“Thirty-plus years of being a Hornets fan, not a lot to cheer for over the years. But, you know, it’s kind of a family of sorts,” Kent said.

The team, which has not experienced much on-court success in recent years, is at another transition point. Now, Jordan is on his way out as majority owner, selling his stake to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall. 

“The GOAT can only take you so far with fans who haven’t seen a playoff series win in 21 years,” Kent added, saying news of the sale was not a surprise to him.

In a statement Friday, the Hornets said, “As part of the transaction, Jordan will retain a minority ownership share of the team. The transaction is subject to the approval of the NBA Board of Governors. Along with the Hornets, HSE ownership includes the Greensboro Swarm (NBA G League) and Hornets Venom GT (NBA 2K League), as well as managing and operating Spectrum Center, each of which is included as part of the sale.”

Kent is looking forward to what a new ownership group could bring to the team and the city.

“You know it’s kind of one of those things, you go — you come from a bad relationship and you go into a new one immediately," Kent said. "There’s a little bit of apprehension and fear, but I think the general gut feeling is — and this sounds bad — but how much worse could it be?” 

A Hornets spokesperson said Friday that Jordan will remain at the helm until the deal is approved, likely through next week’s NBA Draft. 

Kent said that the Crown Club’s draft watch party will likely have new enthusiasm and that he is looking into ordering a cake.