Willie Inexperienced, coach of the New Orleans Pelicans, obtained a textual content from his father early Wednesday morning. It began with a easy Completely happy New 12 months want, however then got here the heartbreaking information: a horrible tragedy had struck New Orleans.
“I’m devastated,” Inexperienced stated, clearly shaken by the occasions.
The Pelicans have been in Miami to play a sport, however their minds have been removed from the basketball court docket. A number of hours earlier, within the coronary heart of New Orleans, a person drove his truck right into a crowd within the French Quarter, killing 15 folks and injuring a minimum of 30 others. The truck was flying a flag of the Islamic State group.
Inexperienced known as it “a mindless act of violence.” He added that the crew had talked briefly about it, however it’s exhausting to even perceive such an occasion. “You simply don’t know the place you’re protected anymore,” Inexperienced stated. “Individuals ought to be capable of exit and revel in themselves, stroll the streets, go to highschool, or church with out concern. It’s devastating. I can’t think about what the households of the victims are going by way of.”
The Pelicans have been alleged to play a house sport on Friday towards Washington, however the assault had already delayed main occasions in New Orleans, together with the Sugar Bowl sport between Notre Dame and Georgia.
The information additionally impacted the Miami Warmth, whose coach, Erik Spoelstra, stated the stunning particulars stopped everybody within the room. “It’s terrifying. It’s horrific. You pray for the households and anybody experiencing loss,” Spoelstra stated. The Warmth crew honored the victims with a pregame second of silence.
On the Pelicans’ broadcast, announcers Joel Meyers and Antonio Daniels additionally expressed their unhappiness. “Bourbon Avenue is a spot of pleasure, of celebration,” Daniels stated. “To have one thing like this occur… my coronary heart hurts. It’s unlucky that that is the world we dwell in right this moment.”
