Top 3 players from New Orleans Pelicans who could've won the NBA Championship but didn't
The New Orleans Pelicans have not come close to winning an NBA championship since their inception in 2002 as the New Orleans Hornets. The Pelicans have made the playoffs an underwhelming seven times in their 18 seasons of existence in the league despite drafting or acquiring high-quality players and legends such as Anthony Davis and Chris Paul.
However, there are players who have bucked the trend and have gone on to enjoy post-season success after their time in New Orleans and win championship rings with recent examples being Jrue Holiday and AD.
There is a flipside to it as great players who were key pieces for the Pelicans and other teams alike, were unable to win an NBA championship ring due to a multitude of reasons such as poor fit with the team and bad luck with officiating and injuries.
Having said that, here are the top three players who played for the Pelicans and were unfortunate not to win a title.
Top three players from the Pelicans to not win an NBA championship
#3 Baron Davis
Baron Davis came into the league in 1999 after being drafted by the Charolette Hornets and proved to be an explosive scorer who could shift gears at a moment's notice. His first two years marked a slow improvement for the guard before he took a giant leap in his third year as he averaged 18 points and 8.5 assists per game, while also being named to the 2002 All-Star team.
After the franchise relocated to New Orleans and changed its name to the New Orleans Hornets, Davis had a massive uptick in form as he averaged 22.9 points and 7.5 assists per game, while also leading the league in steals.
He led the Hornets into the post-season in all five of the seasons he played with them despite not being able to make it to the Conference Finals, missing out on an opportunity to win an NBA championship, after losing to teams such as the Allen Iverson-led Philadelphia 76ers or Dwyane Wade-led Miami Heat.
Davis' best chance of success came during his stint with the Golden State Warriors under the tutelage of the legendary Don Nelson. Nellie's high-scoring offensive system was designed to suit Davis' up-tempo style as he drastically increased his scoring averages.
His performance in the 2007 playoffs was nothing short of remarkable as he averaged 25.3 points, 6.5 assists, 2.9 steals, and 4.5 rebounds per game.
He played a crucial role in one of the biggest upsets in history as the eighth-seeded Warriors beat top seed Dallas Mavericks in a shocker before being eliminated by the Utah Jazz in the next round.
Davis' career could never replicate those same highs due to multiple injuries, leaving us with the question of his ceiling if he managed to win a championship.
The greatest dunk in Warriors history happened 13 years ago today courtesy of Baron Davis https://t.co/W7AYjxzMkP
14 years ago today, the No. 8 seed 'We Believe' Warriors eliminated the No. 1 seed Mavs in the 2007 Playoffs.
Stephen Jackson: 33 PTS (7/8 3PT)
Matt Barnes: 16 PTS, 11 REB, 7 AST
Baron Davis: 20 PTS, 10 REB
Dirk: 8 PTS (2/13 FG)
https://t.co/xds4KA4MtA