The Pelicans selected Zion Williamson 1st overall in the 2019 NBA Draft.
The New Orleans Pelicans, previously named the New Orleans Hornets, have had a fair share of lottery picks, especially considering they became a franchise in the early 2000s.
Here’s a rundown of all the lottery picks the Pelicans have made in franchise history.
Jordan Hawkins – 2023 (14th overall)
Hawkins has spent the first two seasons of his career with New Orleans. He wasn’t a major part of the rotation as a rookie, though he did appear in 67 games, including 10 starts, in 2023-24. He embraced a bigger role in 2024-25, although the injuries that affected the organization led him to play more minutes. He averaged 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game across 56 appearances (nine starts) and 23.6 minutes per game as a sophomore in 2024-25.
Dyson Daniels – 2022 (8th overall)
Daniels was chosen as the eighth-overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, but he ended up flourishing elsewhere. He didn’t quite establish himself as a regular in New Orleans and was included in the offseason trade that sent Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks to New Orleans. Daniels had the best season of his career in his first year with Atlanta in 2024-25, averaging 14.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.0 steals per game in 76 starts. He was a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year award and was named the Most Improved Player in the 2024-25 season.
Ziaire Williams – 2021 (10th overall)
Williams’ stint in New Orleans was short-lived since he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies and didn’t play a single game with the Pelicans. He spent the first three years in the league with Memphis and was part of the Brooklyn Nets in 2024-25.
Kira Lewis – 2020 (13th overall)
Lewis was a highly touted prospect out of Alabama before the 2020 NBA Draft and was a bench alternative in the first three years of his career in The Association with the Pelicans. However, he was traded in 2023-24 and ended up playing for three teams: New Orleans, the Toronto Raptors and the Utah Jazz. He didn’t log any playing time at the NBA level in 2024-25.
Zion Williamson – 2019 (1st overall)
Williamson’s talent has been evident dating back to his viral high school highlights all the way through his time at Duke and now with the Pelicans. Unfortunately, injuries have plagued the former Duke star as he has been limited to only 214 regular-season appearances over a six-year career, including sitting out the entire 2021-22 campaign. The first-overall pick in the 2019 draft, Williamson was third in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2019-20 and has been named to the All-Star Game twice..
Buddy Hield – 2016 (6th overall)
Hield was selected as the sixth overall pick in 2016 and has established himself as one of the best shooters in the NBA while logging more than 700 regular-season appearances throughout his career at the end of the 2024-25 season. The Oklahoma prospect didn’t last long in New Orleans, though, as he was traded during his rookie year to the Sacramento Kings. He only appeared in 57 games for the Pelicans, averaging 8.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game before the trade.
Nerlens Noel – 2013 (6th overall)
Noel was another player who got traded right after being picked in the lottery, as he was sent to the Philadelphia 76ers right after being chosen with the sixth overall pick in 2013. Unfortunately, injuries severely altered his career trajectory. He bounced around six teams across a nine-year career in the NBA and last played in 2022-23.
Austin Rivers – 2012 (10th overall)
New Orleans had two top-10 picks in the 2012 draft, and Rivers was the second selection of that lottery after Anthony Davis. Rivers was a solid depth player in every stop he made throughout his 11-year career, but he only spent two-and-a-half seasons with the organization. Through 165 regular-season appearances with New Orleans, Rivers averaged 6.9 points and 2.3 assists per contest. He later played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets. His final stop was with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2022-23 campaign.
Anthony Davis – 2012 (1st overall)
Davis was the first overall pick of the 2012 draft and was a game-changing acquisition for the franchise. He immediately became the face of the organization in New Orleans, both when they were the Hornets and after they changed their name to the Pelicans. Davis played the first seven seasons of his career in New Orleans, averaging 23.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game across 466 regular-season contests before being traded to the Lakers. Davis was an NBA champion with Los Angeles in the 2019-20 season and was traded to the Mavericks midway through the 2024-25 campaign in the deal that sent Luka Dončić to the Lakers.
Cole Aldrich – 2010 (11th overall)
Aldrich’s stint with the organization was short-lived, as he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder before playing a single game for New Orleans. He built a solid reputation as a rim protector during his eight-year career. However, he spent most of his time in The Association as a depth piece, starting in only 23 of his 339 regular-season appearances.
Julian Wright – 2007 (13th overall)
Wright played only four seasons in the NBA and never returned to the league. He spent the first three years of his career with the New Orleans Hornets and the final one with the Toronto Raptors. Over his four-year stretch in The Association, Wright averaged 3.9 points and 2.3 rebounds across 13.2 minutes per game in 231 regular-season games (40 starts).
Hilton Armstrong – 2006 (12th overall)
Armstrong was a highly-touted prospect out of UConn, which led the Pelicans to select him with the 12th overall pick in 2006. He played 292 games during his NBA tenure and averaged 3.0 points on 11.6 minutes per game throughout a six-year career. He last played in the NBA in 2013-14, when he recorded 15 appearances (one start) for the Warriors.
Chris Paul – 2005 (4th overall)
Paul was the first lottery pick in franchise history with the fourth overall selection out of Wake Forest in the 2005 draft, and they couldn’t have been happier with the selection. CP3 became not only the face of the franchise for several years, but he also quickly established himself as one of the best point guards in the NBA. Paul played for the organization six years, between the 2005-06 and 2010-11 campaigns, averaging 18.7 points, 9.9 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game. He was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers before the start of the 2011-12 season, and he would later play for the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. He’s a free agent for the 2025-26 campaign.
