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Charlotte Hornets Promote Defensive Prowess Of Young Star

http://www.mkgsecurity.com/

The Charlotte Hornets are having some fun with the defensive brilliance of one of their young stars. The team has set up a website called "MKG Security."

No, the Hornets are not trying to sell you a new home security system.

"MKG" is Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, a third-year forward out of Kentucky who's becoming one of the NBA's elite defenders.

"When defense is your first priority, look no further than MKG Security," a narrator says in a Hornets-produced video. Kidd-Gilchrist wears a work shirt with patches as the narrator gives the sales pitch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqvSH9tZa00

Highlights of Kidd-Gilchrist's steals and blocks are sprinkled in.

Those kinds of plays don't get as much attention as big dunks or buzzer-beaters. Hornets spokesman Mike Cristaldi says this is a way to draw attention to what Kidd-Gilchrist does for the team and promote his case for the NBA's All-Defensive teams.

"We wanted to do it in a way that was fun, catchy, and still got the message across that he's having a great season," Cristaldi says.

It's also a fresh way to market the team, which is finishing its first season as the Hornets. The Bobcats brought back that name to tap into the city's nostalgia for its original pro team. Cristaldi says it's working.

"The season's been great with regards to ticket sales; we're up about 2,000 per game on average," he says. 

The Hornets are trying to secure the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. At the moment, they're doing it without MKG Security; Kidd-Gilchrist is out with a sprained ankle.