The 2021–22 New Orleans Pelicans season was the 20th season of the New Orleans Pelicans franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). On June 16, 2021, coach Stan Van Gundy agreed to part ways with the Pelicans after one season.^[1] The Pelicans soon hired Willie Green as the next head coach.^[2]

On December 15, Devonte' Graham, who was acquired from the Charlotte Hornets in the offseason, hit an improbable 61–foot shot to hoist the Pelicans to a 113–110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The shot set the NBA record for the longest buzzer–beating game–winner in league history, beating out Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf's 55–foot shot in 1992 for the Denver Nuggets, 109–106 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.^[3][4][5]

Despite finishing the season with a 36–46 record and being 10 games under .500, the Pelicans managed to qualify for the play-in tournament after a win over the Sacramento Kings, followed by a Lakers loss to the Suns on April 5, 2022.^[6] They defeated both the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers in the Play-In tournament to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2018, becoming the first team to qualify for the postseason with a 36–46 record since the Boston Celtics in 2004. They faced the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in the first round where they lost in six games.^[7]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College / Club
1	10	Ziaire Williams	SF	United States	Stanford (Fr.)
2	35	Herbert Jones	SF	United States	Alabama (Sr.)
2	40	Jared Butler	SG	United States	Baylor (Jr.)

The Pelicans currently hold one first-round pick and two second-round picks entering the draft.^[8]

2021–22 New Orleans Pelicans roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From G 15 Alvarado, Jose 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 179 lb (81 kg) 1998-04-12 Georgia Tech F 12 Clark, Gary (TW) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1994-11-16 Cincinnati G 4 Graham, Devonte' 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1995-02-22 Kansas G 2 Harper, Jared (TW) 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1997-09-14 Auburn F/C 10 Hayes, Jaxson 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 2000-05-23 Texas F/C 9 Hernangómez, Willy 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1994-05-27 Spain F 14 Ingram, Brandon 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1997-09-02 Duke F 5 Jones, Herbert 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 206 lb (93 kg) 1998-10-06 Alabama G 13 Lewis, Kira  6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 2001-04-06 Alabama F 8 Marshall, Naji 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1998-01-24 Xavier G 3 McCollum, CJ 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1991-09-19 Lehigh F 25 Murphy, Trey 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 206 lb (93 kg) 2000-06-18 Virginia F/C 22 Nance, Larry 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1993-01-01 Wyoming G 21 Snell, Tony 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 213 lb (97 kg) 1991-11-10 New Mexico G/F 41 Temple, Garrett 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1986-05-08 LSU C 17 Valančiūnas, Jonas 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 265 lb (120 kg) 1992-05-06 Lithuania F 1 Williamson, Zion  6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 284 lb (129 kg) 2000-07-06 Duke

Head coach Willie Green Assistant coach(es) Jarron Collins Casey Hill Fred Vinson Teresa Weatherspoon Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended (GL) On assignment to G League (TW) Two-way affiliate player Injured Roster Last transaction: March 29, 2022

• Power forward Zion Williamson missed the entire season due to foot and knee injuries.