NBA: Pelicans Coach and Players Struggle with Tragedy in New Orleans

Willie Green, coach of the New Orleans Pelicans, received a text from his father early Wednesday morning. It started with a simple Happy New Year wish, but then came the heartbreaking news: a terrible tragedy had struck New Orleans.

“I’m devastated,” Green said, clearly shaken by the events.

The Pelicans were in Miami to play a game, but their minds were far from the basketball court. A few hours earlier, in the heart of New Orleans, a man drove his truck into a crowd in the French Quarter, killing 15 people and injuring at least 30 others. The truck was flying a flag of the Islamic State group.

Green called it “a senseless act of violence.” He added that the team had talked briefly about it, but it’s hard to even understand such an event. “You just don’t know where you’re safe anymore,” Green said. “People should be able to go out and enjoy themselves, walk the streets, go to school, or church without fear. It’s devastating. I can’t imagine what the families of the victims are going through.”

The Pelicans were supposed to play a home game on Friday against Washington, but the attack had already delayed major events in New Orleans, including the Sugar Bowl game between Notre Dame and Georgia.

The news also impacted the Miami Heat, whose coach, Erik Spoelstra, said the shocking details stopped everyone in the room. “It’s terrifying. It’s horrific. You pray for the families and anyone experiencing loss,” Spoelstra said. The Heat team honored the victims with a pregame moment of silence.

On the Pelicans’ broadcast, announcers Joel Meyers and Antonio Daniels also expressed their sadness. “Bourbon Street is a place of joy, of celebration,” Daniels said. “To have something like this happen… my heart hurts. It’s unfortunate that this is the world we live in today.”