NOPNew Orleans Pelicans

Franchise history

The franchise now known as the Pelicans played its first eleven seasons in New Orleans as the Hornets (relocated from Charlotte in 2002) before owner Tom Benson rebranded the team to the New Orleans Pelicans starting with the 2013-14 season, honoring the brown pelican, Louisiana's state bird, and freeing the Hornets name and history to return to Charlotte's franchise under a 2014 NBA ruling. The Pelicans identity was built around Anthony Davis, the No. 1 overall pick in 2012, who developed into one of the league's most dominant two-way big men but never advanced past the second round with New Orleans; he requested a trade in January 2019 and was dealt to the Lakers that June in a package built around Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart.

New Orleans then drafted Zion Williamson first overall in 2019, a generational scorer and athlete whose tenure has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries, including a foot fracture that cost him the entire 2021-22 season. Around him the Pelicans have assembled talented rosters featuring Brandon Ingram and later a deep young core, but the franchise has managed only two playoff series wins since the 2013 rebrand and has yet to reach a conference finals as the Pelicans. The team continues to chase the sustained playoff success that has eluded it for most of its history in New Orleans.

Sources

• New Orleans Pelicans — Wikipedia
• New Orleans Pelicans — Britannica