By Judaea Ingram
Special To The Carolinian
CHARLOTTE, N.C – Charlotte’s newest professional sports franchise officially stepped into the spotlight this week as the Charlotte Crown hosted its media day ahead of its inaugural season in the newly formed Upshot League, marking the return of professional women’s basketball to the Queen City for the first time in nearly two decades.
Held ahead of the team’s May 21 season opener, the event introduced players, coaches, branding, and the organization’s vision while giving fans and media an early look at what the franchise hopes will become a major step forward for women’s basketball in North Carolina.
The Charlotte Crown are set to become the city’s first women’s professional basketball team since the Charlotte Sting disbanded in 2007. The organization enters a sports landscape where interest in women’s basketball has surged nationally, fueled by increased television viewership, growing attendance numbers, and expanding professional opportunities for players.
The team is part of the new Upshot League, which describes itself as “a new kind of opportunity” focused on uplifting talent and communities through women’s basketball. The four-team league includes the Charlotte Crown, Greensboro Groove, Jacksonville Waves, and Savannah Steel, with two of the league’s franchises based in North Carolina.
League messaging emphasizes community and accessibility alongside competition.
“We are here to inspire, unite, and grow together,” league branding states. “To up everyone’s shot.”
During media day, players participated in interviews, signed merchandise, met with fans, and revealed team uniforms as excitement built around the franchise’s debut. The event blended basketball promotion with community engagement, something organizers repeatedly emphasized as central to the team’s identity.
The Crown’s mascot, the Carolina Reaper, also made appearances throughout the event, adding energy to the atmosphere as fans interacted with players and staff.
The franchise will be led by former college head coach and former professional player Trisha Stafford-Odom, whose basketball career has included time in the WNBA, ABL, and NWBL, along with coaching experience at North Carolina Central University from 2017 to 2018.
Stafford-Odom described the launch of the franchise as both emotional and historic.
“I mean I really can’t wait,” Stafford-Odom said. “I feel we might get a little bit of the jitters out when we head to Jacksonville. I think they will start all over again when I realize this is the start of something in 2026 that will go down in history.”
She also acknowledged the significance of building on the legacy of women’s basketball in Charlotte rather than starting completely from scratch.
“I am excited that we can actually start from almost ground zero,” she said. “I can’t say ground zero because we are building on the past and I respect that and understand what they have done.”
Stafford-Odom believes the current growth of women’s basketball nationally positions the Crown well entering their first season.
“Everybody’s now in this basketball craze right now, so I feel like we are going to be true benefactors,” she said.
Among the players drawing attention during media day was Deja Kelly, a former McDonald’s All-American and three-time first-team All-ACC selection at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2022 through 2024.
Kelly emphasized the variety of talent assembled on the roster, which includes players with professional and collegiate experience.
“It will be a great product that we put out there, especially having players who have WNBA experience, who have professional experience overseas, and also who are fresh out of college,” Kelly said. “Being able to put that together and put that product out on the floor is something we’ll still be figuring out at the beginning of the season, but I think that will show just how highly talented this group of players are, this group of women is.”
She added that the growth of the women’s game continues to create new opportunities for athletes.
“It speaks volumes about how fast the women’s game is growing and how many opportunities are being created,” Kelly said.
Former Davidson College player Chloe Welch also highlighted the importance of remaining connected to the local basketball community.
“To be here in a place that I love and to be close to my alma mater at Davidson and surrounded by a community that I am familiar with, it gives more excitement to go and play,” Welch said.
For Stafford-Odom, success for the franchise extends beyond wins and losses.
“When the fanbase grows and we have sellouts with regularity and tickets are hard to find, and little girls are asking for autographs, that will be successful,” Stafford-Odom said. “I get emotional because I can see it happening.”
The Charlotte Crown will officially begin their inaugural season on May 21, when they host their home opener at Bojangles Coliseum. A pregame Fan Fest is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. before tipoff at 7 p.m.
