following the 2002–03 season, forward brandon hunter became the first bobcat selected in the nba draft since 1995 when the boston celtics selected him in the second round. a year later, after losing hunter, sixth-man sonny johnson and three-point shooter steve esterkamp, the 2003–04 bobcats slipped to a 10–20 record, but bounced back in 2004–05, posting a 21–11 record en route to the ncaa tournament.