Its hard to put into context how big the LJ/Zo/Muggsy Hornets team was. They weren’t an established team yet, but they were the upcoming rock stars on the verge of superstardom, just oozing so much potential.
The best comparisons I can think of, no exaggeration, are the Thunder with baby KD, Westbrook, and Harden, before they started going far in the playoffs, or the Warriors under Mark Jackson right before Curry/Klay/Draymond took off after they fired him. You could sense the future lethality of these clubs, like an adolescent lion who would eventually take over the pride.
The only reason you don’t hear about that Hornet team with those clubs was because they weren’t allowed to grow, to gain experience, trust, add some impactful free agents. They ended the Celtics reign, and were coming for the Knicks (except the Bulls - nobody could beat Jordan). The Magic with Shaq and Penny on the other hand, were allowed to grow and made it to the Finals, before Hollywood took Shaq away.
Culturally, it may even be harder to explain. LJ was truly the next anointed superstar. I don’t know who to compare him too, he was very brash and exuberant, but not in the asshole kind of way. Its hard to say Lebron and Kobe level (in terms of off the court star power), because they continued on to superstardom, while LJ’s back injury took away his brute strength and athleticism. (Think 6’7, 250 pounds of pure muscle being able to jump over your head and quick enough to drive right past you). He averaged 22 points, 11 rebounds, and over 4 assists in just his second year, was in the dunk contest, was an early originator of the point forward - had his own play (called “Dallas”) at the end of every quarter/game, where the team cleared out and let him take his man off the dribble and get an almost guaranteed bucket.
His jersey became the top selling jersey for I don’t know how many years, Starter Jackets (ask any 90s kid, one of the top cultural items and must haves) in Hornet colors were selling out even out in California, New York, the Midwest. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were shooting commercials with him since he would be taking over the Converse mantle from them. Michael Jordan chose him to star in Space Jam. Had his own shoes. A catchy nickname. A signature gold tooth smile. Imagine any Hornet the last 20 years having this national impact.
They even made a huge ass mural of them downtown.
Its one of those instances where you had to really be there to understand. Its why to this day, I will say that this was may favorite player to watch, ever. That damn herniated disc he suffered after his second year robbed us of our generation’s Charles Barkley/Karl Malone.
He was physically gifted enough to come back and still have a full, pretty successful career - which ironically may be what hurts his legacy most, since most people only recall his later Knicks career as an average, physically limited player, and can’t even fathom how much potential this guy had. (Same with Penny and Grant Hill, they were guaranteed hall of famers without injuries)
Take a look at this mixtape, and just think about if he was an upcoming prospect and imagine how much of a beast he would be on this team. PJ ain’t doing this.