The New Orleans Pelicans have been in Australia this week, taking part in some preseason basketball. It's all been in an effort to get this Pelicans team ready to go for a 2025-26 season that will kick off in less than three weeks against the Memphis Grizzlies.
One of the Pelicans' big additions this offseason was guard Jordan Poole, whom the team acquired in a trade with the Washington Wizards.
Recently, Poole spoke on one of the highlights of the Australia trip for him.
“We went to go see some Kangaroos and Koalas bro. That's all I cared about. “They put that excursion on there, and I was pretty much good after that.”
While fans will be happy to hear that Poole was enjoying the local wildlife, they'd also like for the Pelicans to come back looking like a better version of themselves than what they put on display throughout the 2025-26 NBA season.
During that campaign, New Orleans finished with one of the worst records in the league, thanks in no small part due to injury.
Can the Pelicans bounce back?
As has been the case for New Orleans for several years now, the team's chances of success rise and fall with the health of Zion Williamson, which has been one of the biggest question marks in the NBA ever since he entered the league back in 2019.
Recently, Pelicans fans were given some reason for optimism when Williamson showed up to training camp seemingly in the best shape of his career; however, more wary New Orleans fans will know not to be fooled by offseason photos and workout footage and instead reserve their judgment for when the season actually begins.
On paper, the Pelicans don't have a bad roster, with Poole and Trey Murphy III bringing outside shooting, Herb Jones locking down opponents on defense, and Dejounte Murray orchestrating things when he returns from injury, all supplementing the star talent that is Williamson.
However, it remains to be seen if the Pelicans will be able to put it all together this year.
