New Orleans Pelicans: 30 greatest players in franchise history

The New Orleans Pelicans have had a brief history, but they’ve managed to produce some top talent. Here’s a look at the Top 30 players in franchise history.

The New Orleans Pelicans were established as a franchise in 2002-03 when the relocated from Charlotte as the New Orleans Hornets. It marked the return of the NBA to New Orleans since the Utah Jazz moved to Salt Lake City back during the 1979-80 NBA season. The New Orleans Jazz lasted from 1974-75 until the 1978-79 campaign before moving further out West to Utah.

Since becoming a franchise in New Orleans, the team has used Oklahoma City as a temporary location when Hurricane Katrina uprooted them from their original home back in 2005. They returned in 2007-08, posting a 56-26 record and making one of their deepest runs in the postseason with some familiar faces in the franchise.

The likes of Baron Davis, Chris Paul, DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday and Julius Randle are some past and current familiar faces in franchise lore in New Orleans. Since some of the veterans have moved on, a name change occurred for New Orleans with them creating their own identity as the New Orleans Pelicans in 2013-14.

The arrival of Anthony Davis from the University of Kentucky marked a new era for the franchise and he’s paved the way with plenty of accolades in his wake. Now, with the current shift to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and the potential arrival of Zion Williamson, it’s worth taking a look at the top 30 players in Hornets/Pelicans franchise history.