The shortest player in NBA history is about to take his permanent place above the court he ran for a decade. The Charlotte Hornets will retire Muggsy Bogues’ No. 1 jersey at halftime of their home game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, February 11, 2027, at Spectrum Center, honoring the point guard who became the face of the franchise’s first era.

A Charlotte Original

Bogues arrived in Charlotte through the 1988 Expansion Draft and spent ten seasons, 1988 to 1998, running the Hornets’ offense. He played 632 games in a Charlotte uniform, more than any guard in franchise history, and the city never let go of him. Three decades after his last game here, he remains a fixture at Spectrum Center and one of the most recognized figures in the building.

The Record Book Still Says His Name

At 5 foot 3, Bogues is the shortest player ever to play in the NBA, and the record book never got the memo that size was supposed to matter. He is the Hornets’ all time leader in assists with 5,557, steals with 1,067 and minutes played with 19,768. His 10.7 assists per game in the 1989-90 season still stands as the franchise’s single season record.

The Third Jersey in the Rafters

Bogues becomes the third player in Hornets history to have his number retired, joining Bobby Phills, whose No. 13 was retired in 2000, and Dell Curry, whose No. 30 went up earlier this era. The February 11 ceremony puts the smallest man in league history in the biggest company the franchise can offer.

Bigger Than the Game

Bogues’ reach ran well past the box score. He starred in the 1996 film Space Jam, built a second life as one of the game’s great ambassadors, and continues that work in Charlotte through the Muggsy Bogues Family Foundation. The halftime ceremony on February 11 is set to be one of the biggest nights of the Hornets’ season.

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