NEWS AT NOON. AND RIGHT NOW, WE ARE FOLLOWING SOME BREAKING SPORTS NEWS AS THE PELICANS HIRE A NEW HEAD COACH. JAMAHL MOSLEY, FORMERLY WITH THE ORLANDO MAGIC, WILL NOW TAKE OVER FOR THE STRUGGLING TEAM, TRYING TO GET THEM BACK IN THE WIN COLUMN NEXT SEASON. JOINING US LIVE IN STUDIO SPORTS DIRECTOR FLETCHER MACKEL TO BREAK DOWN HOW THE PELICANS CAME TO THIS DECISION. FLETCHER. YEAH. RANDI FROM DISNEYLAND TO BOURBON STREET THE PELICANS GET A GUY THEY HAVE LONG BEEN LINKED TO IN AN EFFORT TO FINALLY, AFTER MORE THAN TWO DECADES, MAKE BASKETBALL MATTER IN THE BIG EASY JAMAHL MOSLEY WAS FIRED TWO WEEKS AGO TODAY BY THE ORLANDO MAGIC. AFTER THAT FRANCHISE WAS ELIMINATED IN THE PLAYOFFS. A WELL RESPECTED LEADER WHO HELPED BUILD ORLANDO FROM ONE OF THE WORST TEAMS IN THE NBA INTO A CONSISTENT POSTSEASON GROUP. MOSLEY WAS LET GO BECAUSE THE MAGIC FAILED TO WIN A PLAYOFF SERIES ON HIS WATCH AND EXPECTATIONS LAST YEAR WERE SKY HIGH. GIVEN ALL THE TALENT ON HIS ROSTER, A 47 YEAR OLD WHO PLAYED COLLEGE BASKETBALL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AND THEN PROFESSIONALLY OVERSEAS IN PLACES LIKE AUSTRALIA, SPAIN, FINLAND AND SOUTH KOREA. HE BECAME AN NBA ASSISTANT COACH IN 2005, AND HE WAS THE MAGIC HEAD COACH FOR FIVE YEARS. OVERALL, HIS RECORD IN THE NBA. JUST 189 IN 221 LAST SEASON. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAGIC STAR PLAYER PAOLO BANCHERO AND MOSLEY BECAME FRAYED, LEADING TO RAMPANT SPECULATION THAT MOSLEY WOULD BE FIRED IN ORLANDO IF THE TEAM DIDN’T MAKE A DEEP PLAYOFF RUN. AND THAT CAME TO FRUITION. MOSLEY BECOMES THE EIGHTH HEAD COACH SINCE THE NBA RELOCATED BACK TO NEW ORLEANS IN 2002. THE PREVIOUS SEVEN PAUL, SILAS, TIM FLOYD, BYRON SCOTT, MONTY WILLIAMS, ALVIN GENTRY, STAN VAN GUNDY AND WILLIE GREEN. THE PELICANS WILL HAVE AN OFFICIAL INTRODUCTION LATER THIS WEEK FOR JAMAHL MOSLEY, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE NOT ANNOUNCED A DATE. WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
From Disney World to Bourbon Street, Pelicans hire former Orlando leader Jamahl Mosley as head coach
Updated: 7:53 PM CDT May 18, 2026
The New Orleans Pelicans have hired former Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley as the franchise’s head coach. “We are thrilled to welcome Jamahl and his family to New Orleans,” said Pelicans Governor Gayle Benson. “Joe Dumars led a thorough and comprehensive search to find the right leader for our team. He also identified the internal changes needed for organizational growth as we continue building a winning culture that our fans deserve. Jamahl is a proven winner and brings the type of leadership, accountability, and vision necessary to move our franchise forward.”“Jamahl has earned tremendous respect across the NBA for his leadership, professionalism, and the strong relationships he develops with players and staff,” said Dumars. “He has consistently demonstrated an ability to develop young talent while establishing teams that compete with toughness, discipline, and togetherness. His teams reflect his coaching style through their defensive intensity, effort, preparation, and commitment to playing the right way. Those qualities reinforce the long-term stability of a winning culture.” Mosley most recently spent five seasons (2021-26) as head coach of the Orlando Magic. Mosley led Orlando to three consecutive playoff appearances (2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26), compiling a career NBA regular season record of 189-221 (.461) and a 7-12 (.368) playoff record.Mosley joined the Magic after seven seasons (2014-21) as an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks under Rick Carlisle, where he helped guide the team to four NBA playoff appearances. He also served as head coach of the Mavericks’ Summer League team from 2017-19.Prior to his time in Dallas, Mosley spent four seasons (2010-14) as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Before that, he spent five seasons (2005-10) with the Denver Nuggets, beginning in player development and advance scouting before being promoted to assistant coach for his final three seasons (2007-10).A four-year letterman at the University of Colorado (1997–2001), Mosley is one of 33 players in program history to score more than 1,000 points. Following his collegiate career, he played four seasons professionally overseas, including two years with the Victoria Titans (Australia), one season with Baloncesto León (Spain), and one season in Korea.Mosley has also been actively involved with USA Basketball. He was named head coach of the USA Basketball Men’s Select Team in both 2023 and 2024, working with the Men’s National Team ahead of the 2023 FIBA World Cup and the Olympic Games Paris 2024. He previously served as an assistant coach for the Select Team in 2021 and at the 2018 USA Basketball Men’s National Team mini-camp. Additionally, Mosley has participated in Basketball Without Borders camps in Africa on multiple occasions.A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mosley and his wife, Kristina, have three children: Jemma, C.J., and Chance. In New Orleans, Mosley replaces Willie Green who was fired just 12 games into the 2025-26 season. Mosley becomes the 8th head coach in Pelicans (previously Hornets) history following Paul Silas, Tim Floyd, Byron Scott, Monty Williams, Alvin Gentry, Stan Van Gundy and Green.
NEW ORLEANS —
The New Orleans Pelicans have hired former Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley as the franchise’s head coach.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jamahl and his family to New Orleans,” said Pelicans Governor Gayle Benson. “Joe Dumars led a thorough and comprehensive search to find the right leader for our team. He also identified the internal changes needed for organizational growth as we continue building a winning culture that our fans deserve. Jamahl is a proven winner and brings the type of leadership, accountability, and vision necessary to move our franchise forward.”
“Jamahl has earned tremendous respect across the NBA for his leadership, professionalism, and the strong relationships he develops with players and staff,” said Dumars. “He has consistently demonstrated an ability to develop young talent while establishing teams that compete with toughness, discipline, and togetherness. His teams reflect his coaching style through their defensive intensity, effort, preparation, and commitment to playing the right way. Those qualities reinforce the long-term stability of a winning culture.”
Mosley most recently spent five seasons (2021-26) as head coach of the Orlando Magic. Mosley led Orlando to three consecutive playoff appearances (2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26), compiling a career NBA regular season record of 189-221 (.461) and a 7-12 (.368) playoff record.
Mosley joined the Magic after seven seasons (2014-21) as an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks under Rick Carlisle, where he helped guide the team to four NBA playoff appearances. He also served as head coach of the Mavericks’ Summer League team from 2017-19.
Prior to his time in Dallas, Mosley spent four seasons (2010-14) as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Before that, he spent five seasons (2005-10) with the Denver Nuggets, beginning in player development and advance scouting before being promoted to assistant coach for his final three seasons (2007-10).
A four-year letterman at the University of Colorado (1997–2001), Mosley is one of 33 players in program history to score more than 1,000 points. Following his collegiate career, he played four seasons professionally overseas, including two years with the Victoria Titans (Australia), one season with Baloncesto León (Spain), and one season in Korea.
Mosley has also been actively involved with USA Basketball. He was named head coach of the USA Basketball Men’s Select Team in both 2023 and 2024, working with the Men’s National Team ahead of the 2023 FIBA World Cup and the Olympic Games Paris 2024. He previously served as an assistant coach for the Select Team in 2021 and at the 2018 USA Basketball Men’s National Team mini-camp. Additionally, Mosley has participated in Basketball Without Borders camps in Africa on multiple occasions.
A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mosley and his wife, Kristina, have three children: Jemma, C.J., and Chance.
In New Orleans, Mosley replaces Willie Green who was fired just 12 games into the 2025-26 season.
Mosley becomes the 8th head coach in Pelicans (previously Hornets) history following Paul Silas, Tim Floyd, Byron Scott, Monty Williams, Alvin Gentry, Stan Van Gundy and Green.