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Charles Lee Ejected in 4th Quarter of Hornets Versus Pistons After Bad Foul Call

Lee's ejection follows an already chaotic night at The Hive
Ashley Stroehlein|
Feb 7, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee on the sideline against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Feb 7, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee on the sideline against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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Charlotte Hornets

The second half of Monday's Hornets game versus the Detroit Pistons at The Hive was a wild one. Following the ejection of Moussa Diabaté, Miles Bridges, Jalen Duren, and Isiaiah Stewart in the second half, Hornets head coach Charles Lee found himself being tossed from the game as well.

Hornets forward Grant Williams was called for an offensive foul with just under six minutes to play in regulation. Lee, who was so upset by the call, had to be held back by a number of players, including Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball, and Grant Williams. Lee, who was very vocal towards the refs for the call, was thrown out of the game.

Lee's frustration reached a boiling point, and rightfully so. The Pistons, who do play a physical brand of basketball, had been getting away with hard foul after hard foul all game long. Williams bumped into Paul Reed away from the play as LaMelo Ball was bringing the ball up the court, and Reed sold it as if he got trucked. As Eric Collins and Dell Curry mentioned on the broadcast, it was shocking to see them call a ticky-tack foul that deserves an Oscar while the Pistons had been getting away with hard, physical contact at the rim and on the perimeter.

Lee was just named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month after leading the Charlotte to an 11-6 record in January 2026, including 9 in a row ahead of Monday's game. This is the first time in Lee’s coaching career that he has won Coach of the Month.

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Ashley Stroehlein
ASHLEY STROEHLEIN

Ashley Stroehlein is a sports reporter who is based in Charlotte, NC, and has covered multiple professional and collegiate sports ranging from the NBA, NFL, MLS, ACC, SEC and more. Stroehlein currently contributes to Charlotte Hornets On SI, ESPN’s coverage of college football as a sideline reporter, serves as a freelance host on SiriusXM’s NBA and NASCAR Radio channels and as a fill-in host and sideline reporter for FanDuel Sports Network’s coverage of the Charlotte Hornets. Ashley graduated with honors from Radford University, majoring in mathematics. She moved to North Carolina to teach secondary math and coach basketball and track. However, her passion for sports led her to decide to return to school to study broadcasting. Ashley’s work as an anchor and storyteller has earned her many industry honors. Most notably, she is a three-time recipient of the prestigious Gracie Award, which recognizes exemplary programming created by, for and about women in all facets of media and entertainment.

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