Pelicans lament ‘senseless act of violence’ after New Orleans terror attack
The New Orleans Pelicans played their regular season game against the Miami Heat in South Florida on Wednesday night with heavy hearts as their city was struck by a terrorist attack that left more than a dozen people dead.
Pelicans head coach Willie Green is one of the team members who has spoken out about the attack that occurred in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
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A Bourbon Street sign is displayed on the scoreboard at the CaSea Center in New Orleans to commemorate a car that plowed into the crowd before the NBA basketball game between the Miami Heat and New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, January 1 people who lost their lives. (AP Photo/Lynn Slutkey)
Green said he was “shocked” by the news. He said he learned about what happened from a Happy New Year text message from his father. The Pelicans play their home games at the Smoothie King Center, about a mile southwest of where the terrorist attack occurred.
“This was a senseless act of violence,” Green said. “We’ve discussed it with our players. But we just live in a time and world where you don’t know where you’re safe.
“Schools, churches, people should be able to go out and have fun and walk down the street. It’s devastating. I can only imagine what these families are going through and what they have to deal with now for the rest of their lives.”
Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III said he knew his mother and his chef were downtown during the New Year’s festivities. He said he feared for their safety but was told they were fine.
“You feel a little relieved,” Murphy said. “But there are a lot of people today who didn’t hear that sigh of relief.”
A New Orleans Pelicans player is killed when a car plows into the crowd at Kasea Center in New Orleans before an NBA basketball game between the Miami Heat and New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. People paid tribute. (AP Photo/Lynn Slutkey)
Murphy added it was a “real disgrace”.
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“People are trying to enjoy life and go into the new year with a different mindset, and now there are a lot of families who have to deal with this tragedy,” he said. “I have a lot of prayers and thoughts for these families because this makes no sense.
“Things like this shouldn’t happen. You shouldn’t have to worry about going to Bourbon Street and enjoying life and then ending up losing a loved one.”
Former NBA player Antonio Daniels participated in the broadcast of the Pelicans game. He and reporter Joel Meyers expressed their condolences over the attack.
On New Year’s Day, Wednesday, January 1, 2025, University of Georgia and Notre Dame Sugar Bowl fans stopped to take photos as New Orleans police and federal agents investigated a suspected terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. (Chris Granger/New Orleans Advocate via AP)
“If you think about what Bourbon Street represents, it’s a place of joy. It’s a place of laughter. It’s a place to get married, have bachelorette parties, bachelorette parties, a place where people come together. ,” Daniels said. “Like Coach Green said, a senseless act of violence trying to tear this city apart? My heart aches. My heart aches for this city. It’s unfortunate. Unfortunately, this is where we are today. The dark world of life.
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Miami won the game 119-108.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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