Top 20 Moments in New Orleans Pelicans History

Feb 24, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul (3) rest on the court against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second quarter at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

13. The New Orleans Hornets draft Chris Paul

by Nathan Heck

Before he was the traitor, Chris Paul was the savior. The New Orleans Hornets selected Chris Paul, the point guard out of Wake Forest, with the fourth overall pick in the 2005 draft. The presence of the crafty lead guard instantly gave the franchise a shot in the arm. Unfortunately for everyone involved, Chris Paul’s arrival coincided with Hurricane Katrina.

During the years split between Oklahoma City and New Orleans, Chris Paul emerged as the most talented of a skilled crop of young guards. The arrival and subsequent development of arguably the most talented pure point guard in the NBA helped keep the Hornets afloat during the dark years after Hurricane Katrina.

The selection of Chris Paul, unlike picking Anthony Davis, was not quite so obvious, and it is right to speculate that, if the Pelicans had selected Raymond Felton or Martell Webster instead of the supremely talented Paul, New Orleans may not have a team playing professional basketball today. Chris Paul’s emergence as a true superstar helped maintain interest in the team despite the hard times.

The selection of Chris Paul, despite his eventual departure, has to be viewed as one of the most important moments in franchise history. During his time in New Orleans, Chris Paul led the Hornets to the playoffs three times, made the All-Star game four times, made the first team All-NBA once, made the second team All-NBA once, made the third team All-NBA once, and was the near unanimous Rookie of the Year. Chris Paul will forever be cemented in New Orleans basketball history.

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