what did the new orleans hornets used to be?
Charlotte Hornets
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 After their failed courting of the Timberwolves , New Orleans made attempts to lure the Vancouver Grizzlies and Charlotte Hornets to the city in the 2000s and found success when the Hornets , who had considered both New Orleans and Memphis ( where the Grizzlies eventually moved ) , elected to move to Louisiana in 2002 . The Hornets would since then revive their franchise name back in Charlotte in 2014 , while the original Charlotte Hornets would be renamed the New Orleans Pelicans in 2013 . 

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 After Hurricane Katrina devastated the U.S. city of New Orleans , Louisiana on August 29 , 2005 , and caused extensive damage to the New Orleans Arena , the New Orleans Hornets ( now known as the New Orleans Pelicans ) of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) were unable to play any home games there for the entire 2005 – 06 season . They temporarily relocated to Oklahoma City , Oklahoma , becoming the New Orleans / Oklahoma City Hornets . After playing the majority of home games for both the 2005 – 06 and 2006 – 07 seasons at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City , the Hornets returned to New Orleans for the 2007 – 08 season . 

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 Because of the extensive damage resulting from the hurricane , where the Hornets would play for the 2005 – 06 season came into question . Although the New Orleans Arena suffered only slight damage , the flooding surrounding the area made it impossible to use . With the training camp scheduled to begin on October 4 , the team announced that the first three weeks of camp would be held at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs , Colorado , instead of their usual location , Alario Center in Westwego . Additionally the team stated that they wanted to play home games within Louisiana , at either the Pete Maravich Assembly Center or the Rivercenter in Baton Rouge . On September 3 , Hornets owner George Shinn stated that the storm would not be used as a reason to permanently relocate the franchise . 

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 In order to allow for a full recovery of the New Orleans market in the wake of the storm , the NBA announced on January 31 , 2006 , that the Hornets would remain in Oklahoma City for the 2006 – 07 season and return for the 2007 – 08 season . The league also announced that New Orleans would play host for the 2008 All @-@ Star Game , in addition to hosting the team for six of their 41 home games during the season . Although guarantees by the league and organization indicated a return for 2007 – 08 , many fans in New Orleans were still skeptical of a permanent return due to the popularity of the team in Oklahoma City . Meanwhile , the Hornets opened their season in Oklahoma City with a 26 @-@ point win over the Sacramento Kings on November 1 , 2005 . They played their first game in Louisiana in a loss to the Phoenix Suns on December 21 , 2005 , and they played the first professional sports event in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina on March 8 , 2006 , where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers . The Hornets completed the 2005 – 06 season by winning 38 games , tenth in the Western Conference . They became the first team since the 1974 – 75 Boston Celtics to play home games at four separate venues : the Ford Center in Oklahoma City , the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans , the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge , and the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman , Oklahoma . The Hornets had finished last in attendance in the previous season in New Orleans , but playing in Ford Center , they averaged 18 @,@ 168 fans , a 78 % increase . Referring to the fan support in Oklahoma City , Hornets star Chris Paul said that " You get a feeling you 're a part of something special " ; mayor Mick Cornett said , " My expectations were lofty , but we 've exceeded them . " 

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 The NBA 's New Orleans Hornets became the first major league sports franchise based in Oklahoma when the team was forced to relocate to Oklahoma City 's Ford Center , now known as Chesapeake Energy Arena , for two seasons following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 . In July 2008 , the Seattle SuperSonics , a franchise owned by the Professional Basketball Club LLC , a group of Oklahoma City businessmen led by Clay Bennett , relocated to Oklahoma City and announced that play would begin at the Ford Center as the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 2008 – 09 season , becoming the state 's first permanent major league franchise . 
