The New Orleans Pelicans have struggled to gain a foothold in their football-crazed market since moving to the city for the 2002-03 season. Despite hosting the early careers of Chris Paul and Anthony Davis, fans simply hadn’t taken to basketball in New Orleans.
That all changed when the Pelicans won the NBA Draft Lottery and selected Duke star Zion Williamson No. 1 overall. Season-ticket sales immediately skyrocketed. Veteran free agents sought out New Orleans as a destination. Real buzz for basketball grew in Louisiana for perhaps the first time in NBA history. That buzz has sustained itself into training camp, when an estimated 10,000 fans showed up for the team’s first public scrimmage.
That scrimmage did not disappoint. Williamson and Lonzo Ball put on a show, connecting for their first public alley-oop as teammates.
Plays like this are going to be the backbone of New Orleans’ offense this season. While the Pelicans are fairly light on shooting, they are outrageously athletic and should have no trouble running in transition. Alvin Gentry’s teams always play fast-paced basketball, and this roster was tailor-made for that style. Williamson projects as one of the most lethal transition players in the NBA, and Ball’s passing is most effective in the open court.
The scrimmage wasn’t the only show of the day in New Orleans, though. The team also held its rookie talent show. Williamson and Jaxson Hayes both sang, but it was No. 17 overall pick Nickeil Alexander-Walker that brought the house down with his rendition of Vanessa Carton’s “1,000 Miles.”
It’s still too early to know how good the Pelicans are going to be this year. The roster is awkward, filled with more athletes than shooters, and while it has more competent NBA players than most teams, it lacks a true superstar. But no matter how well the Pelicans actually play on the floor this season, one thing can already be said for certain: this team is going to be fun. Entertainment value may not be reflected in the standings, but the Pelicans will be a League Pass darling from the moment the season tips off.
