New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference. The team plays its home games at the Smoothie King Center, an arena located in downtown New Orleans that opened in 1999 and seats over 16,000 fans.

The franchise was established in 2002 when owner George Shinn relocated the Charlotte Hornets to New Orleans. Originally named the New Orleans Hornets, the team temporarily moved to Oklahoma City for two seasons after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005. They played as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets from 2005 to 2007 before returning to New Orleans full-time. In 2013, after Tom Benson purchased the team, the franchise rebranded as the New Orleans Pelicans, honoring Louisiana's state bird, the brown pelican. The name also revives a local sports tradition, as a minor-league baseball team called the Pelicans played in New Orleans from 1901 to 1957.

In 22 seasons, the Pelicans have posted an overall regular season record of 831–937 (.470) and made nine playoff appearances. Their best season came in 2007–08, when they won the Southwest Division with a 56–26 record. The franchise has won two playoff series but has never advanced to the conference finals, a distinction shared only with the Charlotte Hornets among NBA teams. The team's all-time leaders include Anthony Davis (points, rebounds, blocks) and Chris Paul (assists, steals).[edit]

The Pelicans' origins trace back to the Charlotte Hornets, who were founded in 1988 as an expansion team. In 2002, owner George Shinn moved the franchise to New Orleans, where it became the New Orleans Hornets. The team's early years in New Orleans were marked by moderate success, including a playoff appearance in 2003–04. However, Hurricane Katrina forced the team to relocate to Oklahoma City for the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons. Playing as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, the team made the playoffs in 2007 with a 39–43 record, losing in the first round.

Returning to New Orleans full-time in 2007–08, the Hornets, led by Chris Paul and David West, achieved their best season ever: a 56–26 record and the Southwest Division title. They defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the first round but fell to the San Antonio Spurs in the conference semifinals. The team made the playoffs in three of the next four seasons but never advanced past the first round. In 2012, the franchise was sold to Tom Benson, who also owned the New Orleans Saints. Benson rebranded the team as the New Orleans Pelicans in 2013, adopting a new color scheme and logo. The Pelicans drafted Anthony Davis first overall in 2012, and he became the face of the franchise, leading them to the playoffs in 2015 and 2018. Davis was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019, netting the Pelicans a package that included Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and draft picks. In 2019, the team won the NBA draft lottery and selected Zion Williamson first overall. Williamson's tenure has been hampered by injuries, but the team made the playoffs in 2022 and 2024. The 2024–25 season was a struggle, finishing 21–61, leading to the hiring of Willie Green as head coach.[edit]