New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans bring NBA basketball to a city known for its music, culture, and passionate sports following. Built around high-flying, athletic talent, the Pelicans have leaned into an exciting, fast-paced identity in a market that treats every home game like a celebration. The franchise is still chasing its first deep postseason run.

The franchise began play in 2002 when the Charlotte Hornets organization relocated to New Orleans, initially keeping the Hornets name before rebranding as the Pelicans in 2013. Hurricane Katrina forced the team to split home games with Oklahoma City for two seasons in the mid-2000s before it returned full-time to New Orleans. Anthony Davis anchored the franchise for much of the 2010s before being traded to the Lakers, and the Pelicans have since continued building around young, athletic cores. The team has not yet reached a conference finals or won an NBA championship.