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New Orleans Pelicans

1988

The New Orleans Pelicans are a professional basketball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They play in the Southwest Division of the league's Western Conference. The franchise was established as the New Orleans Hornets in the 2002-03 season when then-owner of the Charlotte Hornets, George Shinn, moved the franchise to New Orleans. Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the franchise temporarily relocated to Oklahoma City, where they spent two seasons officially known as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. The team returned to New Orleans full-time for the 2007-08 season. On January 24, 2013, the franchise announced it would rename itself the Pelicans. The name change to the Pelicans took effect after the conclusion of the 2012-13 season. The Charlotte Hornets name, history and records from 1988-2002 were returned to its original city to be used by the then-Charlotte Bobcats franchise, which then became the Charlotte Hornets, starting May 20, 2014.

Southwest

NOP

Smoothie King Center