The Charlotte Hornets are officially doubling down on their head coach—and for good reason. After engineering one of the most remarkable midseason turnarounds in recent NBA history, Charles Lee has signed a contract extension with the franchise, the team announced Thursday.

Here's the story: The Hornets posted a stunning 28-10 record over their final 38 regular-season games, flipping the script on a sluggish start and vaulting themselves out of the Eastern Conference basement. That blistering pace earned them a spot in the play-in tournament, where they captured their first postseason victory since 2016 in front of an electric home crowd. While Charlotte's decade-long playoff drought remains intact, this was the closest the team has come to ending it—and their best overall record since the 2015-16 campaign.

Lee, now in his second season at the helm, was the steady hand behind that surge. The franchise's commitment to him is unmistakable, even though the terms of the new deal have not yet been disclosed. For Hornets fans, this extension signals a belief that the foundation is set and the best is yet to come.