For the record, the best part about the NBA is the basketball. That’s no question. But after that, one of the best parts about it is remembering the various players that make up the league’s lore. Few feelings compare to the feeling of joy that comes from naming obscure players in NBA history.
However, arguably even more fun than that is talking about the players who technically played for teams but never actually suited up for them. And since this is a website dedicated to the New Orleans Pelicans, we’ve decided to talk about five players who were a part of the organization but never played a single minute for the team.
5. Nick Richards
Frequent league pass people know Nick Richards from hearing Eric Collins scream his name in joy at the top of his lungs any time the Kentucky big man nabs an offensive rebound and redeems it for two points.
However, before he became a fan favorite for the Charlotte Hornets, Richards was drafted by the Pelicans. In the 2020 NBA Draft, the Pelicans selected him with the 42nd overall pick. But then, in November, before the season even started (remember that was the season that started later because of COVID-19), Richards was traded by the Pelicans to the Hornets in exchange for Charlotte’s 2024 second-round pick. Now, it is only a matter of time before we find out whether or not that move was worth it or not for the Pelicans.
Richards has been a productive player for the Hornets for three years now, even netting himself a 3-year contract extension in March. Can the player the Pelicans draft with the pick do the same (or better)?