New Orleans Pelicans By The Numbers: Number 7
Never in New Orleans Pelicans franchise history has a player worn number 7.
That’s because 7 has been retired, for Pete “Pistol” Maravich. Known by everybody as Pistol Pete, Maravich is an NBA legend that never played for the Pelicans franchise. He did though, play for the New Orleans Jazz before the team was moved to Utah. While the time in New Orleans makes him the greatest player to ever play in the city it raises the question; Should Maravich’s number be retired? He never played for this franchise, so why is it retired?
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The argument against Pistol Pete’s number retirement makes sense. How can a franchise really have its own identity, when the only bit of history you have hanging in your rafters is one division title and a jersey that isn’t even related to your franchise? It comes off as having a number in the rafters for the sole reason of having a retired number. Some NBA fans like to poke fun at Miami because they have two numbers, 13 and 23 retired. 13 is retired for Dan Marino, and 23 is retired for Michael Jordan. Not exactly a good look.
While there is some ground to stand on that New Orleans shouldn’t have Pistol Pete’s number retired, I couldn’t disagree more. New Orleans isn’t known for their basketball. When everybody thinks of New Orleans, it’s the Saints that come to mind first. Sure, this isn’t the franchise that Pistol Pete played for, but he’s also the greatest player to ever play in the city of New Orleans. He’s the sole piece of basketball related history this city has. Chris Paul left, the Jazz name is stuck in Utah and the Pelicans were named after another city’s team for over a decade.
New Orleans needs Pistol Pete’s 7 to be retired for reasons beyond the floor. It needs to be retired as the symbol of New Orleans basketball.