It goes without saying how much Drew Brees means to New Orleans after leading the Saints to an emotionally-charged Super Bowl title in 2010. But he also holds a special place in his heart for the city he has called home for almost the last two decades. That much is evidenced by all of the charity work the Hall of Fame quarterback has done for the area, as well as his loyal support for the other local professional team- the New Orleans Pelicans.

Brees recently went into detail about the luckless Pels, explaining how this promising franchise can finally reach its full potential.

“I think that they’re a team that a couple years ago during my last year and that’s when we drafted Zion [Williamson] and we drafted Jackson Hayes, right? I think there was a ton of excitement around the team,” he said while appearing on Bovada’s Scoop B Talks with host, Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson. “I feel like we’re in no shortage of this young talent, right? But it’s a matter of putting it all together.”

The Pelicans' entire fandom shares Brees' sentiment. When healthy, this is a dangerous team who can potentially do some damage in the NBA Playoffs. A first-place standing in the Western Conference for a part of last season proves as much. Though, just like that 2022-23 campaign, the future of New Orleans basketball rests heavily on health.

“I always feel that we’ve been always fighting the injury bug in the last few years so, we gotta find a way to stay healthy and get our way into the playoffs and start ascending once we get there,” the two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year said.

Brees did praise the foundation and balance the Pelicans have in place, as the veteran presence of CJ McCollum nicely complements the young stardom of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. Neither of the latter two played 50 games last year, though, and have consistently missed time throughout their respective careers.

Devastatingly, Trey Murphy III just underwent surgery for a torn meniscus tear. Hoping that this team will finally figure out how to stay on the court is asking a lot. Williamson and Ingram each heard their name in the rumor mill this offseason. The organization might be reaching its breaking point.

If the Pelicans do decide to move on from their injury-riddled stars and rebuild, Drew Brees and all of New Orleans will have their patience brutally tested once again.