Just one Charlotte Hornets player made Bleacher Report's top 100 all-time

There are a few candidates for the best player in Charlotte Hornets history. Kemba Walker, by virtue of his franchise-leading scoring, has a good case. So does Dell Curry, the player who led until Walker passed him towards the end of his tenure. One could make a case for Larry Johnson and a handful of others.

But as far as the best player in NBA history who played for the Hornets? That might be Alonzo Mourning. He has the accolades and the general historical success that most other players who've worn the purple and teal don't, and he's the one Hornets player mentioned in Bleacher Report's Top 100 all-time players list.

"Alonzo Mourning overcame a vast many obstacles just to reach the NBA. Then, while smack dab in the middle of his professional career, he battled a kidney disease that eventually required a transplant," the B/R staff wrote. "That he wound up returning to the floor is beyond impressive. And that he ended up contributing to a championship-winning Miami Heat squad in 2006 reads like a script out of Hollywood."

Though he is best remembered for his run with the Miami Heat, Mourning was a "dominant force" with the Charlotte Hornets to open his career, too. "His numbers through the first eight seasons of his career, split between Buzz City and South Beach, are eye-popping even now: 21.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.1 blocks on 52.6 percent shooting," the staff added.

Only three players have ever hit or exceeded the 20/10/3/50 splits over their first eight years in the NBA, and it's a who's who: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, David Robinson, and Hakeem Olajuwon. That's the sort of player Mourning was similar to, and it's a big reason he's the only player mentioned who played for the Hornets.

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