After weeks of speculation, the Charlotte Hornets announced that Mitch Kupchak will become the franchise's next president and general manager.
"In every role and in every stop during his tenure in the NBA, Mitch Kupchak has brought the highest levels of success to his teams," Hornets owner and chairman Michael Jordan said in a statement from the team. "He's a proven winner. Having won championships as both a player and an executive, we have confidence that Mitch is the right person to lead our basketball operations, build a winning culture, and bring sustained success to our organization, for our fans and for the city of Charlotte."
Kupchak has been immersed in NBA life for the better part of 40 years. Long before making the jump to the front office, Kupchak had a successful playing career, averaging 15.9 points per game for the NBA champion Washington Bullets in 1978, then adding a second ring to his collection with the "Showtime" Los Angeles Lakers in 1985.
He retired from playing after the 1985-86 season, and moved into an assistant GM role under Lakers general manager Jerry West. Kupchak succeeded West in 2000.
After over three decades in the Lakers' front office - including significant contributions to assembling the franchise's five championship teams between 2000 and 2010 - Kupchak was dismissed in February 2017.
Jordan and Kupchak faced each other just once as players, back on Feb 19, 1985, in Chicago during the former's rookie season. Jordan finished with 16 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, while the then-30-year-old Kupchak recorded just two points and one rebound - though his Lakers beat the Bulls 127-117.
