New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees recently shared his thoughts on the city’s NBA franchise, the New Orleans Pelicans, and commented on the career trajectory of former Pelican star Anthony Davis. The conversation highlighted Brees’ belief in the team’s young core and the importance of veteran presence and health.
The Pelicans’ Search for the Right Formula
Reflecting on the Pelicans, Brees sees a team with immense potential, tracing his excitement back to the draft class that brought in star forward Zion Williamson and center Jaxson Hayes.
“I think that they’re a team that a couple years ago during my last year and that’s when we drafted Zion [Williamson] and we drafted Jackson Hayes, right? I think there was a ton of excitement around the team,” Brees noted.
However, the future Hall of Fame quarterback acknowledged that talent alone isn’t enough, emphasizing the struggle to solidify a winning lineup.
“I feel like we’re in no shortage of this young talent, right? But it’s a matter of putting it all together,” Brees stated. He outlined the critical components for success: “I think whenever you build a team, it’s a combination of veteran leadership along with young productive guys that can continue to grow and develop and they gotta stay healthy though, you know? I always feel that we’ve been always fighting the injury bug in the last few years so, we gotta find a way to stay healthy and get our way into the playoffs and start ascending once we get there.”
While Brees didn’t single out a favorite player, his mention of Williamson points to the excitement around the high-flying forward’s potential to lead the franchise.
Happy for Anthony Davis, Despite His Departure
The topic shifted to another former Pelican, Anthony Davis, who now plays for the Dallas Mavericks. Brees expressed mixed emotions regarding Davis’s departure from New Orleans but was unequivocally happy for the star’s success.
“I’m really happy for Anthony Davis. I hate that it wasn’t with the Pelicans; it would’ve been nice to have him here,” Brees said. The quarterback also drew a parallel to another difficult departure for the franchise: “I hated when CP3 left and that was back in the Hornets days, you know?”
Ultimately, Brees’s perspective is one of respect for their contributions to the city. “But bottom line I think those guys were great for the organization and I think that they left a mark in a positive way, and we just have to continue to find ways to build with young talent and veteran leadership and see if we can put together a winning formula.”
The former Saints leader’s comments reinforce the common sentiment among New Orleans fans—a hope that the Pelicans can finally find the right combination of health and on-court cohesion to fully capitalize on their explosive young roster and build on the foundation laid by past legends
