Jose Alvarado #15 of the New Orleans Pelicans. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
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The New Orleans Pelicans weren’t always the Pelicans. What was the team’s previous name and what is the history of basketball in the city?
It’s been almost a decade since the Pelicans changed their name, which is a sign of just how quickly time flies.
Some might not even remember what the NBA franchise in New Orleans used to be called.
To be fair, professional basketball in the city has gone through a bunch of different changes. It can be hard to keep track.
New Orleans Pelicans previous name: What was New Orleans before Pelicans?
The team used to be the New Orleans Hornets. They changed their brand identity in 2013 after New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson bought the franchise. The idea was to adopt a mascot that connected more clearly to the city.
The Louisiana state bird is the brown pelican while Pelicans had a history as a sports mascot in New Orleans connected to multiple baseball teams.
The franchise originated in Charlotte as the Hornets in 1987. Then owner George Shinn moved the team out of Charlotte in 2002 and took them to New Orleans.
New Orleans was the original home of the now Utah Jazz. The franchise was formed in 1974 but they quickly left and headed for Salt Lake City in 1979. It took almost a decade for the city to get an NBA team back in town.
From Anthony Davis to Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, New Orleans has looked to establish household names in the league but they’re still searching for their first championship.
