Can Anthony Davis turn New Orleans into a Basketball city?

[504ByrdGang]

With Chris Paul we never reached that point where we were one of those arenas like GSW or OKC where the home crowd was crazy and loud. Despite having a good team and a superstar this city never backed that team 100%. I think it may have been attributed the fact that the Hornets never felt like a New Orleans team. (I think that has changed with the rebrand giving the team a true N.O. feel to it. I've seen more Pels gear than I ever did Hornets in the city so the rebrand may have help.) Do you think AD can do what Brees did with the Saints with getting the entire city behind the team. We all know the Saints game atmosphere has never been what it is today. Do you think in the years coming the Smoothie King Center can give the same energy the dome crowd gives during it's games.

[ScoutWithoutClout]

if we get to the quarterfinals in the next 2 years like the pacers did....omg yea

[AnthonyDavis23]

Playoffs will certainly help

[Kurgan]

Nope, not at the level the saints are.

[Noggy]

Basketball < Football in most peoples mind's.

[Eman5805]

Kids have and always will love basketball. Just need a couple generations of families that grow bringing their kids to games who then bring their kids to the game. And there can be no threat of relocation. Ever again. Even if another storm blows through and complicates things. Make it our team forever...and the tenor will change to eventually putting the Saints and Pels on somewhat even footing. But this is like over the next 20 to 30 years, long after AD's career has wrapped up.

Short term? An MVP caliber season that includes a deep playoff run and the Center will be LIVE. But the winning play has to come first. It's unfortunate, but there's 41 friggin' home games. That's a lot for even diehards to come out to. Who are also Saints fans too.

And that ain't just thing we deal with.

[UptownFuz504]

Winning will get the fans in the stands but it won't be until after the Saints season is over

[Topdawg26]

I'm not sure about a basketball city, but the city could support the Pelicans like they did when we were consistently in the playoffs ten years ago.

[DOMINION]

If AD reaches his potential and becomes a top 3 player in the NBA. The pels make and win some playoff series. NOLA loves a winner especially a winner with a great leader.

[N.O.Bronco]

Just like the Saints, establish a long term winning culture that consistently competes for a championship and people will begin to fill the stadium up.

The Pelicans will never catch the Saints but New Orleans will fall in love with a winner.

[Stealth Matrix]

The 07-08 showed a glimpse of what this city's fandom was capable of.... the shame was that after that season ended it kind of began to fizzle... if AD can bring this team deep several times over there's definitely a chance.

[SaintPelican225]

If AD reaches his potential and becomes a top 3 player in the NBA. The pels make and win some playoff series. NOLA loves a winner especially a winner with a great leader.

I agree totally....Benson knows how to sell a winner...Unlike the previous Hornets ownership.

[whomdoyouwork4]

As long as AD continues to freak people out with block, fast break, dunk sequences, and the team wins some games, NOLA can definitely be a "basketball city." And the Pels definitely have the potential to become a popular global brand like the Saints.

The difficult thing will be getting the region on board and then filling up the arena. That's what the Saints do so well. Or, that's what happens when you have a team in an already football-crazed area of the country.

[Eman5805]

Kinda like this...

[jrdbrn]

You turn this place into a basketball city by winning consistently.

[KennaBrah]

We just have to win. AD last night gave me goose bumps. Eman that is awesome!

[smchls23]

Nope, not at the level the saints are.

Basketball < Football in most peoples mind's.

There's nothing New Orleanians love more than New Orleans, period. Not football, not sports. New Orleans.

Do you really think we wouldn't go crazy if we had a consistent playoff team with a potential MVP playing for us?

The Hornets and the BS in OKC really put a sour taste in my mouth. And the fact that the team became a revolving door after CP3 left.

If we have a consistent nucleus (which I feel like we already sorta do), New Orleans will grow to love those players just like we do with long time Saints like PT, Colston, etc. I really don't see why we wouldn't.

[504ByrdGang]

There's nothing New Orleanians love more than New Orleans, period. Not football, not sports. New Orleans.

Do you really think we wouldn't go crazy if we had a consistent playoff team with a potential MVP playing for us?

The Hornets and the BS in OKC really put a sour taste in my mouth. And the fact that the team became a revolving door after CP3 left.

If we have a consistent nucleus (which I feel like we already sorta do), New Orleans will grow to love those players just like we do with long time Saints like PT, Colston, etc. I really don't see why we wouldn't.

I think this was the biggest thing with the lack of support the Hornets got. First it was the team we took from Charlotte and it still had deep rots their. Then it was our team that played in OKC. So after we finally began to get established out star player left.

[Shrimpnose]

New Orleans loves and thrives on diversions. Without a doubt, the passion, enthusiasm, drunken revelry and celebration naturally follow. Add the AD factor and our devotion to out sports teams, not to mention the now Naturally N'awlins ownership connection!!! WEll funded growth and development of anything should naturally be followed by success..... The Basketball town is the team that is winning....not how many hoops you have hanging around town, I guess.

[DRDJ1]

Yes

[luckyman]

I guess I'm from a different part of town because growing up every other house had a goal, everyone competed on "biddy" teams, and everyone had their favorite NBA teams (Bulls, Lakers, Spurs, Supersonics). Kids collected NBA trading cards. That was also the era where LSU, UNO, and Tulane had mid/high seed NCAA tournament squads.

I think the question is asking can this city become a big NBA game attendance city. The answer is if the team starts winning, yes. Easy.

[AnthonyDavis23]

Hopefully we don't waste Davis talent and keep trying to improve.

[Caffeinedisastr]

Kinda like this...

Kid needs a unibrow.