This Week in Pelicans History: Peja's First 20 and the Night Jrue Holiday Spoiled Paul George's Debut
This Week in Pelicans History
The Pelicans host Memphis tonight at Smoothie King Center in Jamahl Mosley's first season as coach. This week has produced two of the best individual nights in New Orleans history.
Nov. 14, 2006: Peja Scores the First 20
Twenty years ago this week, Peja Stojakovic did something no NBA player had done before and nobody has done since. He scored his team's first 20 points of the game.
- He finished with a career-high 42 points in a 94-85 win over the Charlotte Bobcats.
- He shot 15-of-22 from the field, 5-of-10 from three and 7-of-8 at the line.
The 2006-07 team was still splitting its home games between New Orleans and Oklahoma City after Hurricane Katrina. It was a franchise rebuilding around Chris Paul, and a night when Stojakovic, one of the purest shooters of his generation, couldn't miss.
Nov. 14, 2019: Holiday 36, Clippers 0 Wins
Seven years ago this week, the Clippers came to New Orleans for Paul George's long-awaited debut after shoulder surgery. George scored 33 points in 24 minutes. It didn't matter.
Jrue Holiday scored 36 points, and the Pelicans won 132-127. George said afterward he thought he "was terrible." New Orleans fans enjoyed the night either way.
New Orleans Basketball, Then and Now
- 2002: The Charlotte Hornets moved to New Orleans as the New Orleans Hornets.
- 2005-2007: After Hurricane Katrina, the team played most of two seasons in Oklahoma City.
- 2005: The Hornets drafted Chris Paul, who won Rookie of the Year.
- 2008: Paul, David West, Tyson Chandler and Peja Stojakovic won 56 games and the division title, still the franchise's best season.
- 2012: New Orleans won the lottery and drafted Anthony Davis.
- 2013: The team became the Pelicans, named for Louisiana's state bird. The Hornets name and its 1988-2002 history went back to Charlotte.
- 2019: New Orleans won the lottery again and drafted Zion Williamson.
The Owners
Tom Benson, who also owned the NFL's Saints, bought the team in 2012 and kept it in New Orleans. Since his death in 2018, his widow Gayle Benson has owned both teams.
The Pelicans Today
- Owner: Gayle Benson
- Head coach: Jamahl Mosley, named May 18, 2026, the 10th head coach in franchise history. He coached Orlando for five seasons before this.
- Stars:
- Zion Williamson: 21.0 points a game on 62.8% shooting, fifth in the NBA. He went 9-of-9 for 25 points against the Clippers on Nov. 8.
- Trey Murphy III: 15.6 points. He's the franchise's all-time leader in made threes, with 834.
- Jeremiah Fears (rookie): 15.8 points. On Oct. 29 he had 22 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds, two steals and four blocks, a first for a guard in NBA history.
- Saddiq Bey: 16.1 points
- Dejounte Murray: 14.9 points and 5.0 assists
- Herb Jones: a 96.8 defensive rating, third in the NBA among players with at least 10 games
Retired numbers
| No. | Honoree |
|---|---|
| 7 | Pete Maravich (honorary) |
Tonight
New Orleans hosts Memphis at 7 PM CT. The Grizzlies are 5-0 on the road this season.
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Sources: Statitudes: On This Day, Nov. 14, NBA.com: Key dates in NBA history, November, ESPN: Paul George makes long-awaited Clippers debut, Pelicans game notes, Nov. 2026