Mar 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets mascot Hugo the Hornet greets Carolina Panthers players Yetur Gross-Matos and Derrick Brown during the second half between the Hornets and the Phoenix Suns at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

When will the Charlotte Hornets surpass the Carolina Panthers in wins?

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Sep 18, 2025 8:44 AM ET

Right now, the Charlotte Hornets have as many wins as the Carolina Panthers. It's been a rough start to the year for the crosstown Panthers. The Hornets don't play an actual regular-season game until October 22, and at some point shortly after that date, they will pass the Panthers.

It's simple math: the Hornets play 82 games, usually three or more a week. The Panthers play 17 games, with one coming every seven days or so. At some point, all NBA teams pass their NFL counterparts in wins.

But the Panthers are also just a bad NFL team as it stands. They showed some signs of life on Sunday, but they still lost. So perhaps the better question is not "when" but "how soon" the Hornets will get more wins than the Panthers.

How soon will the Hornets get more wins than the Panthers?

On paper, the Hornets are a better NBA team than the Panthers are NFL team. To determine when that will result in more victories, we have to look at both teams' schedules. Unfortunately, there aren't a ton of easily winnable games on the Panthers' docket.

They're probably going to lose this weekend and every weekend until October 5, when they host the lowly Miami Dolphins. That's a winnable game. Then, the next winnable game is October 19 against the New York Jets. They finally get the New Orleans Saints on November 9.

That would give them three wins by November 9. How long will it take the Hornets to get to four wins? Not that long. The Hornets open at home against the Brooklyn Nets, which is a very winnable game. Then they have three road contests against the Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Wizards, and Miami Heat. Two of those three should be wins.

So by October 29, the Hornets will have three wins, and the Panthers will have two (maybe). The Hornets will likely grab their fourth win on November 2 against the Utah Jazz, which will keep the Panthers with fewer wins. From there, it won't be close.

The Panthers might be lucky to win six games this year. The Hornets will have six wins by the beginning of December, and that's not counting the inevitable upsets that happen in the NBA.