New Orleans Pelicans

The franchise arrived in the Crescent City in 2002 when George Shinn moved the Charlotte Hornets to Louisiana. Hurricane Katrina forced the team to split operations between New Orleans and Oklahoma City for two seasons before returning fully to the Smoothie King Center in 2007.

Tom Benson purchased the club in 2012 and officially renamed the team the Pelicans the following year to honor the state bird and a defunct minor league baseball squad. Gayle Benson took over ownership after Tom passed away in 2018, steering the organization through a rebuild that centered on drafting Zion Williamson first overall in 2019. [editar]

George Shinn relocated the Charlotte Hornets to New Orleans in 2002, bringing professional basketball back to the city. The franchise faced an immediate crisis when Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, forcing them to play home games in Oklahoma City for the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons. They returned to the Smoothie King Center for the 2007–08 campaign, where Chris Paul and David West led the team to a 56–26 record and their only division title to date.

Tom Benson bought the team in 2012 and changed the name to the Pelicans in 2013. The front office used assets from the Anthony Davis trade to draft Zion Williamson first overall in 2019. Willie Green took over as head coach in 2022 and guided the team to a four-game winning streak in November 2026, including overtime victories against the Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies. [editar]