The New Orleans Pelicans are one of the most exciting teams in the league, just like Steely Dan was one of the biggest critical thrills of the 1970s and 1980s.
Representing one of the fastest-moving teams in the NBA, the New Orleans Pelicans have spent their 2019-2020 campaign bringing excitement to arenas around the United States and Canada, even though that is currently at a halt.
While the Pelicans are really just starting to build their name as a headlining act at arenas, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, founders of the band Steely Dan, have spent over four decades building their way to top-billing act; the group even headlined the Smoothie King Center in 2018.
Though Becker passed away in late 2017, the exciting and creative group continues to bring their group of talented accompanying musicians on tours around the country, thrilling crowds from New York City to Des Moines.
Steely Dan is much older than this group of New Orleans Pelicans, but their creativity and unique ability to create musical energy is something that just reminds me of this group of players.
Lonzo ➡️ Zion for the dunk on the previous play
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) March 8, 2020
Zion ➡️ Lonzo for the three right after! pic.twitter.com/8tUTeGHOGM
While I’m sure there’s a lot of people in the New Orleans Pelicans organization and on their roster that haven’t even heard of Steely Dan, this team certainly inspires the same kind of creative energy.
Credit head coach Alvin Gentry for his up-tempo style of play, something that really helped inspire the creation of this list.
In this list, the players have been organized from youngest to oldest, which seems appropriate for a list about Steely Dan. It made more sense for the older guys to get their recognition at the end, building more suspense and also giving honors to the elders.