Fans Start New Rivalry for Wizards

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks. The Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons. These three are some great and historic rivalries, but it's time for them to move aside. Two organizations, deep in a rebuild, could now see a young and budding rivalry between the two that could spark animosity between their fan bases. Enter the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets.

This was initially perceived as a joke, but it has now become serious. The NBA world is taking sides and taking action. It has even reached the point where other Eastern Conference teams are discussing it on social media.

Who should we support Wizards FC or Hornets FC pic.twitter.com/aBi4483KXV
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) July 23, 2025

The Wizards have had more history and more success as an organization than the Hornets, and it's not close. The Wizards have won the championship once, back in 1978, when the team was still known as the Bullets. The Hornets, on the other hand, have never won a title; in fact, they have never made the Conference Finals.

Both teams have not had success lately and are currently in a rebuild. One team, though, has a brighter future according to ESPN. ESPN ranked the Wizards as having the sixth-best rebuild to have a chance of winning a title. The Hornets came right behind the Wizards at seventh. The difference is that one team has not made the playoffs since 2016, while the Wizards' most recent playoff appearance was in 2021.

This is very similar to a rivalry that started during a rebuild back in 2021, though. The fan bases of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets experienced a similar phenomenon at the start of their rebuilds. Both teams, with little success and deep in a rebuild, suddenly had their fan bases hating each other. Both the Thunder and Rockets are now thriving, with the Thunder winning a title and the Rockets looking to dethrone them next season.

This could be deja vu from the 2021 debacle, only this time with the Wizards and Hornets. The two squads have solid young cores. Charlotte is frontlined by Lamelo Ball, and then surrounds him with young role players like rookie Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller. The Wizards are hoping Tre Johnson can be the face of the franchise and form a trio with him, including Alex Sarr and Bub Carrington.

There is barely any difference between the two organizations. They each have a surplus of draft picks, with Washington having 27 picks through 2032 and Charlotte having 24 through 2032. It just comes down to luck and scouting. For the past few seasons, the Hornets' front office has done little for Ball. The Wizards, on the other hand, are almost out of a rebuild, and they are one lucky draw in the lottery away from having a powerhouse of a team.

Still, these petty rivalries are fun and good for the sport. Fans from either squad may not have much to look forward to besides the draft lottery, so having a spark for these division matchups is good for the mood of the fan base. It will be interesting to see if this rivalry lasts for the long haul, or if it is merely a means to keep NBA fans entertained during the dog days of summer.

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