Rick Bonnell was beloved by Charlotte Hornets fans. The Charlotte Observer beat writer died in June. He was 63 years old.
The team announced plans to honor Bonnell on Tuesday. Those plans begin with a scholarship for aspiring journalists. The team will put together a panel that includes the Bonnell family, members of the Charlotte Observer staff and team staff members to pick a journalism student at a North Carolina college or university to receive $10,000.
Hornets players will also be eligible to win the Rick Bonnell award. A press release from the team says that the award sill be given annually starting this season and will go to the player that “best represents himself and the franchise with professionalism and cooperation with regards to his interactions with the media.”
Finally, and most appropriately, the media entrance at the Spectrum Center will be renamed in Bonnell’s honor. The Rick Bonnell Media & Employee Entrance will greet people with a collage of images from Bonnell’s career.
Rick Bonnell was a beloved member of the sports media both in North Carolina and in the NBA. Tributes from all over the league poured in after his death. On Tuesday, it was members of the sports media in North Carolina that reigned down praise on both Bonnell and the Hornets.
