Pelicans Play Basketball Today

Ethen Meyers • October 19, 2022

Well, Zion

This one is mostly a no brainer. It has been a very long time since we have see who was supposed to be the “face of the franchise” actually play. We saw him in preseason and he looked athletic and explosive as ever but just not quite in full basketball form. I anticipate him to look much better with the other starters around him and CJ and BI around him to not allow teams to backup and prepare to swipe 10 hands at him when he drives to the rack. I feel we will see a small minutes “restriction” set on Zion for the first few weeks of the regular season, but that does not subtract from the fact that Zanos is BACK.

 

The Brandon Ingram MVP Tour
I am not sure if you know, but Brandon Ingram is very good at basketball. Since he put on a Pelicans uniform he has found a way to improve his game every season. Brandon Ingram wants to win first, but it is that exact mentality that will bring out the best. Most guys who win MVP carry their team, and before CJ’s debut as a Pelican and now Zions return, BI was doing just that. Now, we have both of those guys to ADD to the equation, if the Pels win and win often, the league as a whole will get to see just how Brandon Ingram has improved his game to an elite level.

 

How The Team Works

We saw a lot of good and bad, but we learned last year. During the preseason we were still seeing Coach Garrett Temple minutes before young guys, and Graham at the 1 over Jose. I hope this is a trend that ends starting with Game 1 of the regular season. I truly believe Graham is the second best true shooting guard on this team behind CJ, but he might be the worst true Point Guard on the team. Graham will succeed next to Jose or really anyone else who controls the rock even if it is Point Zion, but we need to put him in a place to succeed. The GT situation I am telling myself we just wanted to show some decent 14th man potential for filler scenarios in a trade, but I am not sure since we saw him a lot last year when Trey Murphy III was just waiting for his chance. I am excited to see the young talent meshed in nicely with the leaders in the starting 5 we have.

 

The Trey Murphy III Show

When we drafted TM3 I really thought he was going to be one of those raw shooters who would just stand in the corner and shoot, because that is what I was told he was. I want to believe that they were all right and that if 25 or so other teams would have drafted him it is what he would have remained. I want to believe that Trey saw Jose, Naji, and Herb Jones get minutes because of their desire to PLAY and play hard. I want to believe that whatever is happening with Trey Murphy III is because he WANTS it. He wants to prove that he has that dawg in him and he is ready to be a legit 6th man if not a stretch 5 started in a few years next to Zion. The Trey Murphy III show through the end of last year and the start of this year has been a blast to watch and I cannot wait to see more.


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Football player in red kicks as teammate kneels on field during game, crowd blurred in background
By Patrick Harkness August 20, 2026
K 
Jackson Courville- Ohio State 
He committed on January 12, 2026 (after entering the portal January 2) and is now on Tulane’s 2026 roster as a redshirt junior (#96, 5’10”, 185 lbs) from Centerville, OH (Centerville HS). 
Here’s why Courville aligns so well with the Green Wave program: 
• Proven Leg Strength and Clutch MAC Production
: In two seasons as Ball State’s starting kicker (2023-24), he went 26-of-34 on field goals (76.5%) and 54-of-56 on extra points. Highlights include a game-winning 52-yard FG as time expired vs. Northern Illinois (2024), his career long, plus multiple makes from 50+ yards. He was automatic inside 40 yards and showed the power and accuracy Tulane needs after the departure of standout Patrick Durkin. 
• P4 Experience and Fresh Start
: After battling for the job at Ohio State in 2025 (limited to just 4 XPs in one appearance), he brings valuable Big Ten reps and camp competition experience. Now at Tulane, he’s locked in a competitive spring battle with Cooper Helmke and Zach Marini. 
• Immediate Depth and Competition in a Reloading Unit
: Tulane aggressively addressed special teams via the portal after losing Durkin. Courville arrives as a high-upside veteran with two years of eligibility left, ready to compete for the starting job and provide reliable kicking depth right away. 
In short, Jackson Courville is a smart, high-character portal pickup who brings proven production, big-leg power, and built-in chemistry with the offense to a position group that needed reinforcements. #RollWave Make sure to follow Patrick Harkness on X
Dagan Bruno football player in teal helmet, number 14, during action pose with name and stats graphic.
By Patrick Harkness August 20, 2026
Dagan Bruno: The Local Walk-On Made Some Noise in Tulane’s Quarterback Room during Spring Camp Dagan Bruno is a 6-foot-2, 200-pound redshirt sophomore quarterback wearing No. 14 for the Tulane Green Wave. A Preferred Walk-On from New Orleans and John Curtis Christian School, the hometown product has steadily transformed from scout-team specialist into a legitimate competitor in the quarterback room under head coach Will Hall. Bruno arrived at Tulane as a late addition to the 2024 class after a standout multi-sport career at John Curtis. As a junior in 2022, he helped lead the Patriots to a Division I Select state championship and was named the most outstanding player in the title game. In his senior season he completed over 72 percent of his passes for 1,504 yards with 13 touchdowns and just one interception while adding 527 rushing yards and eight scores. A true three-sport athlete who also excelled in basketball and baseball, Bruno maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school. At Tulane he redshirted in 2024 and spent the bulk of his first two seasons running the scout-team offense, particularly the triple-option looks used by Army and Navy. His experience in John Curtis’s split-back veer made him uniquely valuable in preparing the defense. Playing time was limited, and the lack of consistent reps tested his confidence. Everything changed in spring 2026. Bruno forced his way into the conversation with accurate, decisive play. In the final spring scrimmage he went 5-of-5 for 69 yards, capping the day with a perfect 40-yard touchdown strike down the sideline to Antwaun Parham. Coach Will Hall was emphatic in his praise: “You can win with Dagan Bruno. This is not some feel-good story anymore… Dagan can play. I love his competitive spirit. He’s a tough guy, a winner and a leader.” Bruno has made it clear he wants to shed the “option quarterback” label. “A lot of people tried to push me into being the option quarterback guy,” he said. “I’m trying to break away from that a little bit and become a real quarterback that can go out there and throw the ball around, make the right checks and just do everything right.” Heading into fall camp and the 2026 season, Bruno sits in a competitive four-man race alongside Zeon Chriss-Gremillion, Kadin Semonza, and true freshman Trace Johnson. While the early days of camp have been a mixed bag for him after his strong spring, his accuracy, athleticism, toughness, and local knowledge continue to make him a valuable piece of the room. Whether he earns the starting job, serves as a key backup, or provides package plays, the John Curtis product has already proven he belongs. For a preferred walk-on who stayed home and kept working when the spotlight was elsewhere, Dagan Bruno’s rise is a classic New Orleans football story, one that Green Wave fans should watch closely. #RollWave Make sure to follow Patrick Harkness on X
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