At the heart of an already very complicated season on a sporting level, the Pelicans started 2025 with particularly heavy hearts, the fault of the car-ramming attack which left at least fifteen dead on Bourbon Street, during New Year's festivities in New Orleans.
“This is a senseless act of violence”, reacted Willie Green, the Pelicans coach. “We talked about it with our players. But we live in a time and a world where we don't know where we are safe. Schools, churches… People should be able to go out, have fun and walk the streets. It's devastating. And I can only imagine what these families are going through, what they will have to face for the rest of their lives. »
While the Heat paid tribute to the victims of the attack before the meeting, with a tribute to the famous “Bourbon Street” on its giant screens, Joel Meyers and Antonio Daniels, on TV commentaries for the Pelicans, were particularly marked by the attack which shakes the city, and more generally the United States.
“If you think about what Bourbon Street represents, it’s a place of joy. It's a place of laughter. It’s a place for weddings, hen parties, stag parties, a place where people come together”explained Antonio Daniels. “And like Coach Green said, a senseless act of violence is coming to try to tear this city apart? My heart is bleeding. My heart bleeds for this city. It's unfortunate. It’s unfortunate that this is the dark world we live in today.”
Disbelief and pain were also Trey Murphy III's feelings.
“It’s a real tragedy. People are trying to have fun and approach the new year with a different mindset and now many families are having to deal with this tragedy. I send my prayers and thoughts to these families, because this makes no sense. This kind of thing shouldn't happen. You shouldn’t have to be afraid to go out on Bourbon Street and have fun, while losing a loved one.”
