Small-market teams in the NFL and NBA can struggle to hold onto superstar talent, especially if that talent is unable to win in that small market or the team fails to put talent around that player and is missing off-the-field or off-the-floor opportunities.
That seemed to be the case with superstar forward Anthony Davis, who was drafted by then-New Orleans Hornets in 2012 with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft.
Even though Davis was easily one of the best all-around players in the NBA with a bright future ahead, the New Orleans Pelicans were never able to surround him with the talent he needed to help take the team to the next level and succeed on a regular basis.
Ultimately, Davis pushed his way to the Los Angeles Lakers and quickly won an NBA title playing alongside fellow superstar LeBron James.
Former New Orleans Saints superstar Drew Brees, who is one of the few to have success in the city as a professional athlete, talked about Davis’ departure and how he’s still proud that the former Pelican was able to go on and have success elsewhere, as he told Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Bally Sports.
Anthony Davis leaving New Orleans Pelicans for the Lakers was disappointing but Drew Brees tells @BovadaOfficial he is happy for AD’s success in LA: “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. I hated when… pic.twitter.com/4hQzNR330X
— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) September 6, 2023
The Pelicans are currently at a crossroads, with the team having a lot of talented young players and two superstar-caliber players in Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.
It seems as though the Pelicans are getting to the point where they might have to make a decision on Williamson and Ingram, with the injuries piling up and optimism starting to dissipate in the Big Easy.
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