The New Orleans Saints aren\u2019t the only team in town playing in Europe this upcoming season.<\/p>\n
The Pelicans will be taking a trip overseas as well.<\/p>\n
The NBA announced Wednesday morning that the Pelicans will play two international games against the San Antonio Spurs.<\/p>\n
The Pelicans will play the Spurs at Accor Arena in Paris, France, on Jan. 14.<\/p>\n
Three days later, the two teams will play in Manchester, England, at Co-op Live.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s part of the NBA\u2019s multi-year slate of regular-season games in Europe.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a tremendous honor for the Pelicans to represent the city of New Orleans on a global stage while sharing our culture and the spirit of Louisiana with fans around the world,\u201d Pelicans owner Gayle Benson said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Benson\u2019s football team, the New Orleans Saints, is playing the Pittsburgh Steelers in Paris on Oct. 25.<\/p>\n
\u201cTogether with the Saints playing in Paris next season, the opportunity for the Pelicans to play internationally in Paris and Manchester represents another significant step in strengthening our organization\u2019s cultural and economic ties in these regions,\u201d Benson said. \u201cThese global events reflect the growing impact of football and basketball internationally, and the NBA\u2019s continued efforts to inspire the next generation of fans across Europe. We are grateful to commissioner Adam Silver to be included in the NBA\u2019s ongoing global expansion.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Pelicans went 1-3 against the Spurs this season. The Pels and Spurs are both in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.<\/p>\n
The Spurs, currently playing in the NBA Western Conference finals, are led by France native Victor Wembanyama. The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama, one of the league\u2019s biggest stars, was named the league\u2019s Defensive Player of the Year this season and finished third in the Most Valuable Player voting.<\/p>\n
The game in Paris will be the 16th game featuring an NBA team in France since 1991 and the league\u2019s sixth regular-season game in Paris. The game in Manchester will be the 20th game featuring an NBA team in England since 1993, and the first-ever regular-season game in Manchester.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese games provide a unique platform to showcase our team, our culture, and our community to global audiences while building meaningful relationships with fans, partners, and communities abroad,” Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said in a statement. “We are grateful to be part of the NBA\u2019s continued international growth efforts, and we are excited to help grow the game globally and connect with new generations of basketball fans.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Pelicans aren’t new to playing overseas. In October, they played two\u00a0preseason games in Australia against teams from an Australian professional league. The Pelicans were the first NBA team to play in Australia.<\/p>\n