In a significant move to address the growing mental health crisis among young people, Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE) and Thompson Child & Family Focus announced an expanded multi-year partnership on February 17, 2026.
The collaboration extends Thompson’s reach from the Charlotte Hornets to include their NBA G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, creating a unified front for mental health advocacy across both the Charlotte and Triad regions of the Carolinas.
The Hive Mind Initiative
The centerpiece of the expansion is Hive Mind, a new sports-driven mental health program designed specifically for youth athletes, coaches, and families.
- Normalize Conversations: The program uses basketball-themed storytelling and engagement to break the stigma surrounding mental health.
- Resilience Tools: Athletes are equipped with practical skills to build emotional awareness and confidence.
- Large-Scale Impact: Thompson CEO Will Jones estimates the curriculum will impact 5,000 to 10,000 children annually, with plans to integrate the program into local school systems.
Integrating Mental Fitness into Sports
To ensure mental health is treated with the same priority as physical training, the partnership introduces new “on-court” elements:
- Mental Timeouts: Hornets Hoops clinics and camps will now feature guided breaks for participants to reset and reflect.
- Mental Fitness Playbook: Every attendee at Hornets camps will receive a take-home guide focused on emotional well-being.
- Theme Nights: The Greensboro Swarm will host annual awareness nights featuring special-edition jerseys to highlight the initiative in the Triad.
This expansion comes as data from the CDC indicates nearly 1 in 5 children in the U.S. faces a diagnosable mental or emotional disorder, highlighting the urgent need for accessible, community-based support.