Pictures of New Orleans Pelicans history: The 2008 All-Star Game
Pelican Debrief’s “Pictures of Pelicans History” is a series looking at the best and worst moments in the New Orleans Pelicans/Hornets history.
Today, we return to high-points in the franchise’s history with a look back at the 2008 All-Star Game that put New Orleans back on the map.
In the short history of New Orleans Pelicans basketball, there have not been many seasons filled with memorable team accomplishments. Especially after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the future of New Orleans basketball looked bleak. While spending time in Oklahoma City as the city healed from the devastation of the storm, the Hornets were adopted warmly by the fans in the area. Hornets head coach Byron Scott even openly stated that he preferred to stay in Oklahoma City.
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The return of basketball to New Orleans could have been a short lived failed experiment. Alas, with the city of New Orleans facing unimaginable despair, the NBA stepped up and showed faith in the city and its rebuilding process by awarding New Orleans the 2008 All Star Game.
For the NBA to award one of its marquee attractions to a city still facing a lot of questions, this decision truly signified the NBA’s strong commitment to the city. Basketball aside, it would be a chance to prove to the basketball world that New Orleans was ready to once again cement its place as a city to hold world-class events.
Now basketball-wise, it was fitting that the ’07-’08 season also hails as the greatest in franchise history. New Orleans would not only be hosting the All-Star game, but they would be coming into the break as the top seed in the Western Conference. The Hornets would also be well-represented on their home court, with famous marksman Peja Stojakovic participating in the three point contest and two participants in the main event. All-Stars David West and MVP hopeful Chris Paul highlighted the Hornets successes, having led the team to a 36-15 record at the break . The Hornets literally had the city buzzing (pun intended), and for the first time since their return in 2002, New Orleans felt like a basketball city.
As for the game itself, there were a number of questions from players about the potential of New Orleans hosting the All-Star game. The NBA even faced threats of a lawsuit due to questions on if the city was safe enough to host such a global event. Fortunately, the show would go on without missing a beat, proving that the city of New Orleans was still suited to prepare the big stage. It was a spectacular outcome for the city, and it also showcased the NBAs humility, with many of its biggest stars assisting the New Orleans community. It was a win for both sides.
The festivities on the court left quite the memorable moments themselves, as the 2008 All-Star Weekend would become the birth place of Dwight Howard’s superman persona. Dwight would come out of a phone booth in his super suit, flying high to claim the Dunk Contest crown.
The actual All-Star game would see LeBron James steal the MVP crown from hometown favorite Chris Paul, with the East holding off the West in a 134-128 victory. That would mark the close of a very successful All-Star weekend; so successful actually, that the NBA would go on to award New Orleans with two more All-Star games over the next eight seasons.
Next: Pelicans Moments: Re-living Ryan Anderson's 2014 injury
The 2008 game will always be the one that set the foundation though, as it proved to the world that New Orleans was back.