NEW ORLEANS — In the high-stakes theater of the NBA, the line between the hardwood and the gridiron is thinner than most realize. It’s a matter of leverage, gap control, and cerebral instinct. For New Orleans Pelicans head coach James Borrego, looking at his roster through a football lens isn’t just a fun mental exercise—it’s a tactical way to categorize the sheer physicality and high IQ his team brings to the floor.
As the Pelicans navigate the second half of the 2025-26 season, the energy at the Smoothie King Center has shifted. The reason? The long-awaited return of Dejounte Murray.
After a saga in New Orleans that has been defined more by rehab schedules than box scores, Murray finally stepped back onto the court this week against the Golden State Warriors. For Borrego, seeing Murray back in uniform is about more than just adding a triple-double threat to the lineup; it’s about restoring the soul of a team that has been through the wringer.
The Anatomy of a Comeback: Dejounte Murray’s Road Back
To understand why Murray’s return this week is so significant, one must look at the devastating “snowball effect” that began nearly 16 months ago. When the Pelicans moved aggressively to acquire the former All-Star in the summer of 2024, they envisioned a powerhouse backcourt. Fate, however, had other plans.
In his very first game in a Pelicans uniform—opening night in October 2024—Murray suffered a fractured left hand. It was a cruel introduction to the Big Easy. He fought his way back from that, only to face a career-altering blow just a few months later. On January 31, 2025, Murray suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon, an injury that sidelined him for over a year and forced him to miss the vast majority of the 2024-25 campaign and the first half of this season.
“He went through so much last year,” Borrego told me. “He was joining our organization, we went and got him and what we thought was going to be a healthy, incredible season last year, it really turned after the first game—and it really started game one.”
That opening-night hand injury was just the tip of the iceberg. Borrego notes that the subsequent Achilles rupture felt like the momentum of the season had vanished before it truly began.
“He breaks his hand and it feels like the snowballs started there for the season, on the floor and off the floor,” Borrego said. “To his credit, he has put that behind him, he’s been through the battles, he’s got the scars and he’s still fighting through that.”
The version of Murray that took the floor against the Warriors this week is one hardened by that adversity. Borrego, who spent years in the San Antonio Spurs organization, sees a familiar resilience in Murray—one that reminds him of a legendary point guard who once made a similar climb back from a devastating injury.
“Tony Parker had a return that was significant,” Borrego recalled. “He had a tendon he blew out. I think more than anything, just for our team to embrace Dejounte, his return, the spirit he brings… I think now he’s ready to embrace this team, this city, and his role. I’m excited for him, I’m proud of him and more than anything, just to have him back out there on the floor for our team and our city is inspiring.”
The Pelicans Gridiron: Borrowing from the NFL
While Murray provides the “spirit,” Borrego sees the rest of his roster in terms of specific football archetypes. In New Orleans, a city where the Saints are a religion, these comparisons resonate deeply with the fanbase and the locker room alike.
The Cerebral Middle Linebacker: Herb Jones
If the Pelicans’ defense is a complex 3-4 scheme, Herb Jones is the player wearing the green dot on his helmet. Borrego doesn’t hesitate to compare the defensive ace to one of the greatest to ever play the middle of the field.
“I think Herb Jones is the one that I would say from a defensive standpoint is that type of cerebral defender or the middle linebacker; the Brian Urlacher,” Borrego explained. “Those type of guys that instinctively can make plays—they have a feel of what’s about to happen and then they go do it.”
Like Urlacher in his prime with the Chicago Bears, Jones’ impact isn’t just about the physical stop; it’s about the anticipation. His ability to bait passing lanes and switch across multiple positions allows Borrego to get creative with his schemes, much like a defensive coordinator leaning on a Hall of Fame linebacker to erase teammates’ mistakes.
Owning the Line of Scrimmage: DeAndre Jordan
In the trenches, size and leverage are the only things that matter. While DeAndre Jordan provides a veteran presence, Borrego sees his role as the ultimate space-eater—the man who makes the “running game” impossible for the opposition.
“DeAndre Jordan… his ability to protect the rim. He’d be like the nose tackle, the guy right in the middle of the floor, at the line of scrimmage, he’s going to own the line of scrimmage,” Borrego said. “Protection of the paint to me, to put it in football terms is really; you have to own the line of scrimmage. You’re going to win the running game, those small margins, the running game is so very important.”
In Borrego’s basketball philosophy, the “running game” translates to high-percentage points in the paint and second-chance opportunities. If you can’t move the nose tackle, you can’t establish your offense. Jordan’s job is to ensure the “line” remains uncrossed.
The Generational X-Factor: Zion Williamson
Then, there is the matter of Zion Williamson. Finding a single football comparison for a 280-pound athlete with a 40-plus inch vertical is a task that stumps even his head coach. Is he a tight end with the speed of a wideout? A defensive end with the footwork of a return man?
“Zion, I’ll probably find one for Zion too,” Borrego laughed. “I probably don’t have one for you off the top of my head, but just his ability to make spontaneous, athletic, powerful plays at any time. So, I’ll try to find a name for you there.”
While the specific NFL name remains under deliberation, Borrego is certain of one thing: Zion’s physicality is a crossover talent that would translate to any field.
“I think I can find you something in football terms for Zion. He belongs on the football field too! He can go do that on the offensive or the defensive end.”
The Outlook: Establishing the Run
As Murray rejoins the fold, the Pelicans aren’t just getting a point guard back—they are getting their “Field General” back to lead a roster of “Middle Linebackers” and “Nose Tackles.”
The “scars” Borrego mentioned are real. From a broken hand in 2024 to the grueling 13-month recovery from an Achilles rupture, Murray has seen the darkest side of professional sports. But his return against Golden State marks the beginning of a new chapter.
With Murray’s spirit, Herb Jones’ Brian Urlacher-esque instincts, and Zion’s raw power, the Pelicans are looking to “own the line of scrimmage” for the remainder of the season. In a city built on resilience and Sunday afternoons at the Superdome, the Pelicans are finally playing with their full playbook.
The snowball has stopped. The comeback is on.
