New Orleans Pelicans facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New Orleans Pelicans
Conference	Western
Division	Southwest
Founded	2002
History	New Orleans Hornets 2002–2005, 2007–2013 New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets 2005–2007 New Orleans Pelicans 2013–present
Arena	Smoothie King Center
Location	New Orleans, Louisiana
Team colors	Navy blue, gold, red
Main sponsor	NewAge Products
President	Dennis Lauscha
Vice-president(s)	David Griffin
General manager	Bryson Graham
Head coach	Willie Green
Ownership	Gayle Benson
Affiliation(s)	Birmingham Squadron
Championships	0
Conference titles	0
Division titles	1 (2008)
Retired numbers	1 (7)
Association Icon Statement

The New Orleans Pelicans are a professional basketball team from New Orleans, Louisiana. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Pelicans are part of the Southwest Division in the Western Conference. Their home games are played at the Smoothie King Center.

The team started as the New Orleans Hornets in the 2002–03 season. The owner of the Charlotte Hornets, George Shinn, moved the team to New Orleans. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. The team then moved temporarily to Oklahoma City for two seasons. During this time, they were called the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. They returned to New Orleans for the 2007–08 season. In 2013, the team changed its name to the New Orleans Pelicans. This happened after the 2012–13 season. The NBA now considers the New Orleans team a new team that began in the 2002–03 NBA season.

Since 2002, the New Orleans team has played 22 seasons. They have won 831 games and lost 937 games. They have made it to the playoffs nine times. They have won two playoff series and one division title.

History of New Orleans Basketball

Early Teams in New Orleans

New Orleans has a long history with basketball. The city had a team called the New Orleans Buccaneers from 1967 to 1970. This team was part of the ABA league. But they moved because they didn't have a good arena and didn't win many games.

In 1974, New Orleans got a new NBA team called the New Orleans Jazz. This name honored the city's jazz music history. However, this team also had problems with money and where to play. They moved to Salt Lake City in 1979. One famous player for the Jazz in New Orleans was "Pistol" Pete Maravich. He was a very exciting player. He even led the league in scoring in the 1976–77 season.

Later, in 1994, the Minnesota Timberwolves almost moved to New Orleans. But the NBA stopped the move because of money problems. New Orleans also tried to get the Vancouver Grizzlies before finally getting a team in 2002.

2002–2005: The Hornets Arrive in New Orleans

The Charlotte Hornets team had problems with their owner, George Shinn. Fans were not happy, and the team's attendance dropped. Their arena was also getting old. Shinn wanted a new arena built for free. When the city said no, he looked at other cities to move the team.

Eventually, the city of Charlotte offered a plan for a new arena. But they wanted Shinn to sell the team first. The NBA approved the Hornets' request to move to New Orleans. This brought NBA basketball back to the city for the first time since 1979. As part of the deal, the NBA promised Charlotte a new team. This new team became the Charlotte Bobcats two years later.

The Hornets played their first game in New Orleans on October 30, 2002. They played against the Utah Jazz, the city's original NBA team. The Hornets won 100–75. During halftime, they honored Pete Maravich by retiring his number 7 jersey. The Hornets finished their first season with a good record of 47 wins and 35 losses. But they lost in the first round of the 2003 playoffs.

After that, the team changed coaches. They finished the 2003–04 season with a 41–41 record and lost in the playoffs again. The team then hired Byron Scott as their new coach. For the 2004–05 season, the Hornets moved to the Western Conference. This was to balance the number of teams in each conference. That season, many players got hurt, and the team had a tough year, winning only 18 games.

2005–2011: The Chris Paul Years

Chris Paul was a star player for the Hornets.

In the 2005 NBA draft, the Hornets picked Chris Paul. He was a very talented point guard. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused a lot of damage in New Orleans. Because of this, the Hornets team moved temporarily to Oklahoma City. They played there for two seasons, from 2005 to 2007. During this time, they were called the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. Most of their home games were in Oklahoma City.

The Hornets came back to New Orleans for the 2007–08 season. They played all their home games in the New Orleans Arena. The city also hosted the 2008 NBA All-Star Game. The team had a great season, winning 56 games and losing 26. This was their best season ever! They also won their first division title. In the 2008 playoffs, they beat the Dallas Mavericks. But they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the next round.

In 2008, the Hornets changed their logo and uniforms. They used colors like Creole blue, purple, and Mardi Gras gold. They also added pinstripes to their jerseys. The team finished the 2008–09 season with 49 wins. They lost in the first round of the 2009 playoffs. After a slow start in the 2009–10 season, coach Byron Scott was fired. The team finished with 37 wins. Monty Williams became the new head coach. In the 2010–11 season, the team won 46 games and made the playoffs. They lost to the Lakers.

In 2010, the NBA bought the Hornets team from George Shinn.

2011: Chris Paul Leaves

Before the 2011–12 season, Chris Paul wanted to be traded to another team. He wanted to play for the New York Knicks or a team in Los Angeles. The Hornets traded Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers. In return, they got players like Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, and Al-Farouq Aminu. They also received a future draft pick.

2012–2019: The Anthony Davis Years

2012–2013: Starting with Anthony Davis

On April 13, 2012, Tom Benson, who owned the New Orleans Saints football team, bought the Hornets. He paid $338 million for the team. Benson said he wanted to change the team's name to something that fit New Orleans better. This made people think the "Hornets" name might go back to Charlotte.

On May 30, 2012, the Hornets won the first pick in the 2012 NBA draft. They used this pick to draft Anthony Davis. He became a very important player for the team. They also drafted Austin Rivers. Later, they traded for Ryan Anderson, who was a great three-point shooter.

2013–2015: From Hornets to Pelicans

Anthony Davis was a key player for the Pelicans for many years.

Tom Benson wanted to change the team's name. He liked names like "Brass" or "Krewe." But on December 4, 2012, it was announced that the team would change its name to the New Orleans Pelicans. This name comes from the brown pelican, which is Louisiana's state bird.

The name "Pelicans" was used before by a baseball team in New Orleans from 1901 to 1957. On January 24, 2013, the team showed off their new name, logos, and colors. Their new colors were navy blue, gold, and red. These colors are also on the New Orleans city flag. The team officially became the Pelicans on April 18, 2013.

After New Orleans stopped using the "Hornets" name, the Charlotte Bobcats decided to change their name back to the Charlotte Hornets. This happened for the 2014–15 season. The NBA also agreed that the history and records of the original Charlotte Hornets (1988–2002) would go back to the Charlotte team. This meant the New Orleans team was now officially considered a new team that started in 2002.

In the 2013 NBA draft, the Pelicans drafted Nerlens Noel. They then traded him for All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday from the Philadelphia 76ers.

2015: Back to the Playoffs

Alvin Gentry coached the Pelicans from 2015 to 2020.

In the 2014–15 season, the Pelicans made the NBA playoffs for the first time as the Pelicans. They had 45 wins and 37 losses. They played against the Golden State Warriors in the first round. The Warriors won all four games. After the season, the Pelicans fired coach Monty Williams.

On May 31, 2015, the Pelicans hired Alvin Gentry as their new head coach. The team missed the 2016 NBA playoffs that year. They then drafted Buddy Hield in the 2016 NBA draft.

2017–2019: Anthony Davis Leaves

On February 20, 2017, the Pelicans traded for DeMarcus Cousins from the Sacramento Kings. They gave up Buddy Hield and other players for him. On February 1, 2018, they also traded for Nikola Mirotić from the Chicago Bulls.

On March 15, 2018, owner Tom Benson passed away. His wife, Gayle Benson, became the owner of both the Pelicans and the Saints.

The Pelicans made the playoffs again on April 9, 2018. They finished with 48 wins. In the first round, they beat the Portland Trail Blazers in four games. Then they lost to the Golden State Warriors, who went on to win the championship.

In January 2019, Anthony Davis asked to be traded from the team. On May 14, 2019, the Pelicans won the first pick in the 2019 NBA draft lottery. This was a big surprise! On June 15, 2019, the Pelicans agreed to trade Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers. In return, they got players like Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart. They also received three first-round draft picks. This trade marked the end of the Anthony Davis era for the Pelicans.

2019–Present: The Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson Years

Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are key players for the Pelicans.

On April 17, 2019, David Griffin became the new executive vice president of basketball operations. Then, Trajan Langdon became the new general manager.

On June 20, 2019, the Pelicans picked Zion Williamson as the first overall pick in the draft. He was a very exciting player. The team also drafted other players. Zion Williamson signed his first contract with the Pelicans. He missed the start of the 2019–20 season due to knee surgery. He played his first game on January 22, 2020. He scored 22 points in 18 minutes. In February, Zion was named the NBA Rookie of the Month.

Brandon Ingram had a great season too. He was named the Western Conference Player of the Week in December 2019. On January 16, 2020, Ingram scored a career-high 49 points against the Utah Jazz. Because of his amazing season, Ingram was chosen as an NBA All-Star for the first time. He also won the 2020 Most Improved Player award.

The NBA season was stopped in 2020. The Pelicans were one of 22 teams invited to play in the NBA Bubble. They played eight more games. On August 9, 2020, the Pelicans were out of the playoff race.

In a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, the Pelicans got CJ McCollum, Larry Nance Jr., and Tony Snell. Even though Zion Williamson missed the whole season with an injury, the Pelicans finished the 2021–22 NBA season with 36 wins. They made it to the play-in tournament. On April 13, 2022, they beat the San Antonio Spurs. Two days later, they beat the Los Angeles Clippers. This earned them a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

The Pelicans drafted Dyson Daniels with the 8th pick in the 2022 draft. Zion Williamson was chosen for his second All-Star game, even though he only played 29 games. Many Pelicans players dealt with injuries that season. They made the play-in tournament again but did not reach the playoffs.

In the 2023–24 season, Zion Williamson stayed healthy for most of the season, playing 70 games. Herb Jones, a player drafted in 2022, made the All-Defensive First Team. The Pelicans finished with 49 wins and 33 losses. They made the play-in for the third year in a row. Zion Williamson scored 40 points in a game against the Lakers. But he got injured in that game, ending his season. Even without Williamson, the Pelicans beat the Kings. They advanced to the playoffs but were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

2024–Present: Dejounte Murray Joins the Team

In the 2024 offseason, the Pelicans made a big trade. They got Dejounte Murray, an All-Star player, from the Atlanta Hawks. In return, the Hawks received Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., and other players and draft picks.

Team Logos and Uniforms

The New Orleans Hornets first wore teal and white uniforms. They also used purple and gold colors. In 2004, they added a gold uniform. By 2006, the gold uniform became their main road uniform. All these uniforms had the city name on the front.

New Orleans Hornets uniform (2008–2013).

When the team was in Oklahoma City (2005–2007), they wore white uniforms with the team name. They had a special patch with "OKC" on it. They also wore red uniforms for charity.

In 2008, the Hornets got new logos and uniforms. Teal was changed to "creole blue." They added pinstripes to the uniforms. The team also started wearing special uniforms during Mardi Gras week. These had purple, green, and gold colors. They also brought back a gold alternate uniform in 2010.

When Tom Benson bought the team in 2012, he wanted to change the name. On January 24, 2013, the team showed their new name, logos, and colors. The name "Pelicans" honors the brown pelican, Louisiana's state bird. The colors are navy, gold, and red, like the city flag. The team officially became the Pelicans at the end of the 2012–13 season.

New Orleans Pelicans navy blue uniform (2013–2017).

On August 1, 2013, the Pelicans showed their new uniforms. The "New Orleans" name on the jerseys looks like street signs from the French Quarter. The team's special "Bird-de-Lis" logo is on the back of the neck.

On September 23, 2014, the Pelicans showed a new red alternate uniform. This was worn a few times during the 2014–15 season. The NBA logo was moved to the back of all team jerseys.

On September 17, 2015, the Pelicans showed another new alternate uniform. These short-sleeved uniforms had Mardi Gras colors: purple, green, and gold. They had "NOLA" (a nickname for New Orleans) across the chest.

In 2017, the Pelicans' uniforms were slightly changed when Nike became the uniform supplier. Their white and navy uniforms got bigger lettering. They also continued to wear Mardi Gras-themed uniforms. In the 2018–19 season, they wore an "Earned" uniform.

For the 2020–21 season, the Pelicans' "City" uniform looked like the New Orleans city flag. The 2021–22 "City" uniform was white with "NOLA" lettering that looked like a bird flying.

The Pelicans' 2022–23 "City" uniform brought back the Mardi Gras design. It had a dark purple color. Before the 2023–24 season, the red "Statement" uniform was updated. It now says "Crescent City." Their "City" uniform for that season was black with bright neon green letters. This was inspired by New Orleans' nightlife.

The "City" uniform for the 2024–25 season mixed designs from previous years. It was dark purple with gold "NOLA" letters and neon green trim.

Team Members

Current Roster

Retired Numbers

"Pistol Pete" Maravich's number 7 jersey was retired.

Notes:

• ¹ The New Orleans Hornets retired Maravich's number. This was done to honor his basketball contributions to Louisiana. He played college basketball at Louisiana State University (LSU) and professionally for the city's former NBA team, the New Orleans Jazz.
• The NBA retired Bill Russell's No. 6 for all teams on August 11, 2022.

Season Records

Here are the last five seasons for the Pelicans. Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, W–L% = Winning percentage

Head Coaches

Home Arenas

• Smoothie King Center (2002–present), also known as New Orleans Arena (2002–2014)
• Ford Center (2005–2007) - This was a temporary home due to Hurricane Katrina.

Team Mascot

Pierre the Pelican is the official mascot for the Pelicans. He was introduced on October 30, 2013. This was the first home game of the regular season for the team. Fans chose his name in an online poll. Pierre's look was changed on February 11, 2014, after some fans found his first design a bit scary. The Pelicans' old mascot was Hugo the Hornet. Hugo was with the team from 2002 to 2013. Hugo returned as the mascot for the Charlotte Hornets in the 2014–15 season.

Images for kids

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  New Orleans Pelicans logo.

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  Chris Paul, selected by the Hornets as the fourth pick of the 2005 NBA draft.

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  Anthony Davis, seen here in 2014, was drafted first overall by the Pelicans in 2012 and subsequently became the focal point of the team for many years.

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  Alvin Gentry coached the team from 2015 to 2020.

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  Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram have been the faces of the Pels since 2019 acquired from the draft and a trade respectively.

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  New Orleans Hornets primary uniform (2008–2013) featuring "creole blue".

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  New Orleans Pelicans navy blue uniform (2013–2017).

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  "Pistol Pete" Maravich uniform No. 7 was retired.

See also

In Spanish: New Orleans Pelicans para niños