New Orleans Pelicans Dejounte Murray's Picture With Hometown Hero Goes Viral

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray is doing all the right things this summer to show he wants to be in New Orleans.

Apr 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) signs autographs before a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Chicago Bulls at United Center. / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin often talks about having the right fit within the team's culture. Newly acquired guard Dejounte Murray has only been a member of the New Orleans franchise for a couple of months, but his actions have shown the right mindset for a high-character Pelicans player.

Murray said all the right things during his introductory press conference in July. The former All-Star guard has been traded twice in his seven-year career, but now considers his new team as home.

"I understand my role in this business", Murray told reporters at the press conference. "I'm a basketball player.....As far as New Orleans, this is home now."

He also makes it a habit of wearing Pelicans gear on most of his social media posts, highlighting the work he's putting in throughout the offseason. His latest post brought special excitement to fans because it contained an icon and a New Orleans hometown hero.

Dejounte 🤝 Weezy

📸: @DejounteMurray pic.twitter.com/gGq2tsbXuF

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) September 1, 2024

Lil Wayne is regarded as one of the best rappers to ever grace a microphone, but some have called into question his sports allegiances. The Hollygrove native has been admittedly a Green Bay Packers fan since his youth. His step-father attended Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans and brought home a town of Packers merchandise that Wayne cherished, causing him to begin cheering for Green Bay.

He's now regarded as one of the most famous Packers fans and has even led them onto the field before a playoff game. Lil Wayne also is a Los Angeles Lakers fan, with him revealing Kobe Bryant as a major influence for his choosing to root for the purple and gold. Wayne dedicated a song to Bryant after his tragic passing in 2020.

Murray may not change Lil Wayne's fandom, but the Pelicans hope he can change things for them on the court. New Orleans was a woeful 0-24 last season when trailing after the third quarter. That's the first time in NBA history a playoff team with a winning record never won a game heading into the fourth quarter.

The former Atlanta Hawks guard had plenty of chances last season to showcase his skills in the clutch, and he delivered. Murray made three-game-winning shots last year and was third in clutch scoring among players who played at least 40 clutch games.

He also made over 200 3-pointers last season with the Hawks. There have only been four players in Pelicans history to make at least that many in a season. Murray's versatility on both ends of the court was much needed for a Pelicans team that struggled in the playoffs to find consistent playmaking. His acquisition is one reason New Orleans is viewed as one of the most interesting teams in the league to watch this season.