Coach James Borrego was hired by the Hornets before the 2018-19 season.
Charlotte Hornets President of Basketball Operations & General Manager Mitch Kupchak announced today that the team has signed Head Coach James Borrego to a multiyear contract extension. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
OFFICIAL: We have signed Head Coach James Borrego to a multiyear contract extension!
: https://t.co/wGu0Q1V5ql pic.twitter.com/6zNVZy3o75
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) August 9, 2021
“We’re extremely pleased with the job that Coach Borrego and his staff have done in their three years in Charlotte,” Kupchak said. “Coach and his staff have built a strong player development program and it has resulted in the continued improvement of our young players. He has implemented an exciting style that our team likes playing and our Hornets fans enjoy watching. Coach has built strong relationships with our players, has demonstrated a great knowledge of the game and has provided tremendous leadership for our group. We’re thrilled to have signed him to an extension and look forward to the future with him leading our team as we continue to grow and improve.”
The first Hispanic full-time head coach in NBA history, Borrego was originally hired by the Hornets on May 10, 2018, after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs. Last season, the Hornets posted a 33-39 record and reached the NBA State Farm Play-In Tournament, despite having the second-highest percentage of total minutes played by players in their first, second or third seasons in the NBA. During the 2020-21 campaign, Charlotte set a single-season franchise record with 985 total 3-point field goals, finishing 10th in the NBA, while also ranking fifth (tie) in the league in assists per game (26.8). In his three seasons with the Hornets, the team has posted a 95-124 record.
“I’m thrilled with reaching an extension to remain as the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets,” said Borrego. “I want to thank Michael Jordan, Mitch Kupchak and Buzz Peterson for their continued confidence in me and I want to thank my coaching staff for all of their hard work. I’m truly excited about our future and the direction that we are headed. I’m proud to coach a group of dedicated, hardworking and talented players that are committed to both improving and winning. The City of Charlotte and our Hornets fans have embraced my family and I and we are so happy to continue to make this our home. I cannot wait for the start of training camp and the upcoming season.”
The Albuquerque, New Mexico, native began his NBA career as an assistant video coordinator with San Antonio during the 2003-04 season. Borrego spent seven seasons with the Spurs, ascending to the role of assistant coach. In 2010, he left San Antonio for New Orleans, where he served two seasons as an assistant coach (2010-12) under Monty Williams. Borrego then joined Jacque Vaughn’s staff with the Orlando Magic and served three seasons under Vaughn from 2012-15. Borrego gained his initial head coaching experience when he served as Orlando’s interim head coach for the final 30 games of the 2014-15 campaign after Vaughn was dismissed. He returned to the Spurs as an assistant coach in 2015. As a member of the Spurs, Borrego was a part of two NBA Championship teams (2005 and 2007) and went to four Western Conference Finals.
Prior to his coaching experience in the NBA, Borrego served two seasons (2001-03) as an assistant coach at the University of San Diego, his alma mater. Additionally, Borrego played three seasons collegiately for the Toreros and was named to the West Coast Conference All-Academic Team as a senior in 2000-01.
