The New Orleans Pelicans are the second youngest NBA franchise, as they joined the league as an expansion team during the 2002-03 season. They were initially known as the Hornets for 11 seasons and have since rebranded to become the Pelicans in 2013. Because of how young the franchise is, they are one of the 11 NBA teams that have never won a championship and one of the five NBA teams never to reach the NBA Finals.
Although they haven't experienced much success yet in the league, New Orleans has selected quality young talent through the NBA Draft to try and boost its chances in the NBA championship odds. Players like David West, Darren Collison, Buddy Hield, and Herb Jones have made their respective impacts on the team, but three players had the most significant contributions.
Chris Paul
Chris Paul is No. 1 on the list of the best New Orleans Pelicans draft picks in team history. The former Wake Forest star was drafted as the fourth overall pick in 2005 and quickly established himself as the primary playmaker of the team and one of the top point guards in the league. He put up an average of 16.1 points, 7.8 assists, and 5.1 rebounds in his first year to win the Rookie of the Year award in 2006.
THANK YOU NEW ORLEANS for 6 of the BEST years of my life…to the organization, my teammates, coaches, and the … http://t.co/vWw6SApD